Late own-goal shatters battling Bohs

A cruel late own-goal saw Bohemians bow out of Europe despite a rousing display at Dalymount last night. Pat Fenlon’s side dominated Olimpija for long spells but it wasn’t enough as they chased a 2-0 deficit from the first leg.

Christy Fagan’s first half lead had raised hopes as well as the rafters and clearly rattled the Slovenians. But a mix-up with goalkeeper Barry Murphy resulted in midfielder Ger O’Brien putting the ball into his own net to end it.

Italian referee Paolo Mazzoleni’s dubious early decisions were a frustration for the home players, none more so than on 14 minutes when two-goal first leg hero Dare Vrsic pounced on an error by Liam Burns. But though his shot was just wide, Mazzoleni inexplicably gave a corner from which Fink flicked into the side netting at the near post.

On the half hour, Barry Murphy had to get down smartly to push a low 25-yard drive by Anej Lovrecic out for the Olimpija’s fourth corner of the game.

Bohemians’ pressure told from what was their fourth corner on 34 minutes. Aidan Price got a touch to Killian Brennan’s cross and Olimpija midfielder Davor Skerjanc directed his header towards his own goal. Keeper Elvis Dzafic touched it onto the bar and out, but Fagan was on hand to nod the loose ball into the net.

Dzafic was a bag or nerves now and he slipped when trying to clear a backpass to almost let Fagan in again three minutes before the break.

Murphy was safer at the other end, keeping his concentration well to punch away a flick header from Sreten Sretenovic from a Salkic’s cross in first half stoppage time.

A facial injury to defender Liam Burns on the hour mark disrupted Bohemians, forcing a reshuffle at the back. And though they continued to take the game to Olimpija in search of the second goal to level the tie, the cruel twist arrived on 80 minutes.

A nothing ball from Vrsic was played back by midfielder O’Brien, who had been exemplary throughout. But Murphy rushed out and the ball agonisingly trickled past him and into the corner of the net for an own goal.

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Heary, Burns (Cahill, 61 mins.), Price, Rossiter (Downes, 81 mins.); O’Brien; Buckley, Bayly (Forrester, 71 mins.), Cronin, Brennan; Fagan.

OLIMPIJA LJUBLJANA: Dzafic; Jovic, Sretenovic (Kasnik, 86 mins.), Andelkovic, Stalic; Lovrecic, Radujko; Fink (Omladic, h/t), Vrsic, Skerjanc; Valencic (Cadikovski, 74 mins.).

Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni (Italy).

Fulham 4 Crusaders 0 (Fulham win 7-1 on aggregate)

FULHAM kept their European dream alive with a comprehensive victory over Crusaders at Craven Cottage.

Fulham were frustrated in the first half and Andrew Johnson’s neat finish to a team move was the only goal to show for their barrage of attacks.

However, goals were much easier to come by after the restart as Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora and Steve Sidwell all netted to send the majority of the 15,767 supporters home happy.

Meanwhile Dundee United crashed out of the Europa League losing on away goals despite a 3-2 win on the night.