Misfortune prolongs winless run for Bohs
A frustrating paradox for Bohemians on Friday night was the return to form of their attacking unit coinciding with an intensely wasteful night in front of goal.
Defeated 2-1 in Tallaght, the Gypsies’ winless run extended to six games, but this performance had little in common with the five prior. Bohs outplayed Shamrock Rovers for large periods, racking up nearly twice as many shots as their opponents and cracking the frame of the goal on several occasions.
Their misfortune fed into the seemingly eternal League of Ireland truism that Shamrock Rovers are winning without being at their best. The Hoops started brightly, fizzing their passes with confidence and running gamely at the Bohs defence.
It was a purposeful drive forward from Graham Burke that led to the opener. Patrick Hickey and Sam Todd, Bohemians’ much-lauded duo at centre back, got themselves in a muddle, perhaps as a result of their own confusion at the referee’s failure to award a free kick for Todd’s clumsy, blatant foul that brought an end to Burke’s slalom.
With the ball in his possession and a whistle not arriving, Hickey stumbled sluggishly into Todd instead of clearing, popping it loose in the direction of Burke, who sprung to his feet excitedly and whipped a shot past Kacper Chorazka.
Shamrock Rovers striker Michael Noonan and Bohs defender Patrick Hickey. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
A self-inflicted goal is hardly bad luck, but there was little Bohs could do late in the half when Danny Grant went to ground under a challenge from Dawson Devoy in the away side’s penalty area.
Moments prior, Bohemians had hit the post at the other end of the pitch, and though Devoy appeared to have got a toe on the ball ahead of Grant, a penalty was awarded and proved decisive.
A late penalty of their own, converted by Colm Whelan, wasn’t enough to salvage something, and though there were plenty of positive to take out of the performance, a difficult trip to Inchicore next week doesn’t look like an obvious tonic for Alan Reynolds’s side.
Damien Duff hints at managerial return
Featuring as a panellist on Virgin Media for the first time, the lesser spotted Damien Duff hinted at a return to football in a candid opening to the network’s coverage of Shamrock Rovers vs Bohemians.
Since leaving his post at Shelbourne, Duff said his time has been occupied by sleeping, boxing, taking school runs and watching football. He described not liking who he was becoming in football management.
“I was fighting the world; I was angry, running on anger and just highly emotional,” Duff said. “But it was something I felt I had to do to get Shelbourne back to the top, and I felt if I didn’t do that we wouldn’t have won the league. I absolutely stand over that.
Damien Duff, then Shelbourne head coach, celebrates victory over St Pat’s last June. Photograph: Dan Clohessy/INPHO
“Worrying for me is, if I got back – when I get back in – would I be the same again here? Probably.”
Duff credited his fellow panellist Brian Kerr for reaching out with a phone call in the days following his Shels departure. For his part, Kerr reckoned Irish football would be better with Duff back involved.
Having previously ruled out managing another League of Ireland club, Duff wasn’t quite so resolute about the prospect, though he joked that he had fallen out with every club and fanbase outside of Shelbourne in recent years.
Reprieve for Tiernan Lynch
Though Duff lauded Shels head coach Joey O’Brien as “world class” pre-match, pressure is mounting on his friend and successor, whose Shelbourne side fell to their third defeat on the spin in a 2-1 home loss to Derry City on Friday.
A bad night for O’Brien proved a critical reprieve for Derry manager Tiernan Lynch. Both sides looked fragile, and the tiny contingent of fans that travelled south was evidence of real discontent around the Candystripes’ underwhelming start to the season.
Victory eased pressure on Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch. Photograph: Evan Logan/INPHO
Their goals came at the right times, puncturing Shelbourne’s rhythm and knocking any confidence that had threatened to grow. Derry were not brilliant, but with James McClean and Michael Duffy absent, they can point to resolute defending and quality finishing as building blocks.
As they embark on their historic, temporary usage of Celtic Park while the Brandywell undergoes redevelopment, Lynch will be hoping his side have turned a corner.
Kian Leavy continues to shine for St Pat’s
Though he may not be credited with the first of the two goals he effected on Friday night, Kian Leavy’s influence on St Patrick’s Athletic in their 3-1 win at Drogheda United was clear to see.
The goal that certainly does belong to the 24-year-old was brilliant, a now-trademark blend of quick feet and a clever shimmy left to create space for a strike. Steering the ball around Conor Keeley, Leavy tucked it neatly into the bottom corner for his third of the campaign.
St Pat’s talisman Kian Leavy. Photograph: James Lawlor/INPHO
Pat’s have an array of great attacking options this season, but their number 10 is totemic of their best attributes: urgent, slick and inventive. Leavy is demanding the ball all over the pitch and justifying the positional freedom Stephen Kenny is affording him.
It was a badly needed win for Pat’s, after consecutive defeats to Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers brought an end to an impressive run of form. Fixtures over the coming weeks now look favourable, and though Rovers continue to reinforce their credentials as title favourites, Saints look the most likely challengers.
Dundalk up to third as unbeaten run continues
A brace from substitute Declan McDaid continued Dundalk’s dizzying eight-game unbeaten run, as the Lilywhites jumped above Bohemians and into third place after a 2-1 win over visitors Galway United on Friday.
Stephen Walsh’s spectacular bicycle kick on the cusp of injury time wasn’t enough to mount a Galway fightback, and the home side deserved their three points, having dominated the ball and looked the more threatening team for most of the night.
Ciarán Kilduff’s side may soon be adjusting their expectations upwards, with European spots beginning to look like a realistic target for a side many thought would struggle to avoid relegation.