Georgie Kelly strikes late to break Blues' hearts and take Bohs back to Lansdowne
22 October 2021; Georgie Kelly and Bohemians goalkeeper James Talbot celebrate following the Extra.ie FAI Cup Semi-Final match between Bohemians and Waterford at Dalymount Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Georgie Kelly atoned for missing a penalty by scoring a late winner that sent Bohemians into their first FAI Cup final since Lansdowne Road was knocked down in 2007 to become Aviva Stadium.
Once Waterford had Kyle Ferguson red-carded seven minutes into the second half, they were holding out for a replay on Monday but with just two minutes remaining substitute Kelly prodded in his 23rd goal of the season from a right-wing cross by substitute Promise Omochere.
It was 595 days in total since Bohemians could have an unrestricted attendance and that statistic alone, regardless of this being a semi-final, guaranteed a sell-out.
Thankfully, none of the pettiness that has resulted in Bohs and Rovers refusing to assign tickets to each other featured here, as Waterford took up the full allocation of 900 at the School End. One of the city’s favourite sons, John O’Shea, was in attendance too but had the privilege of a seat in the directors' box.
Encouraged by their manager Marc Bircham, the travelling support were acknowledged during the warm-up as the players copied Mayo’s 2006 Hill 16 march by filing through the Bohs team to applaud their following.
Waterford should have had them raptures after only eight minutes.
Bircham’s training ground set-piece routine worked a treat as Niall Keeffe’s short free-kick found Phoenix Patterson who crossed for Eddie Nolan to knock his header into space. Although Anthony Wordsworth’s run wasn’t tracked, he wasted the opportunity from 10 yards by volleying past the near post.
It was a golden chance spurned by the midfielder, their sole opening in the first half. Bohs took control thereafter, with the presence of Kelly a stark contrast to the bantamweight Junior Quitirna leading the visitors’ line.
The league’s top scorer got his first sight of goal on 12 minutes, a cross hanging too long in the air for him to generate sufficient power or accuracy.
Dawson Devoy was uncharacteristically wayward with a couple of free-kicks while Andy Lyons, restored at right-back chiefly to counteract the pace of Phoenix Patterson, was too slow with his pass into Kelly’s feet to allow the forward get his shot away.
Kelly did manage to get his angles right on 32 minutes in the incident that caused the penalty.
Slipped in from the edge of the box, his dink past Brian Murphy looped over the crossbar but referee Rob Harvey adjudged the goalkeeper to have collided with the striker and awarded a spot-kick.
Murphy, handed a three-match ban in the league for a straight red card against Finn Harps, had to redeem himself and he did just that.
Kelly’s penalty was too hit too centrally, allowing the ‘keeper who was in the last Bohs team to win the Cup in 2008 to save with his legs.
Waterford were living dangerously; Ferguson required to block Ross Tierney’s stinging drive but the booking he conceded for bundling over Kelly three minutes before the break would prove costly.
After Bohs had a claim for another penalty denied, when Liam Burt’s shot struck the arm of O’Keeffe, the winger enticed his fellow Scot Ferguson into a late tackle on the edge of the box which resulted in his second booking and dismissal.
Despite Bohs bossing possession, they were given a let-off on 57 minutes. The ever-industrious John Martin robbed Keith Buckley midway into the Bohs half and released Junior Quitirna, who couldn’t keep his shot on the turn beneath the crossbar.
The Gypsies hit back, Tierney volleying over in his last action before subbed and Kelly directing a header wide from Ali Coote’s corner.
Greg Halford, brought on once Ferguson walked, caused some panic late on from one of his specialist long throws, leading to Martin’s overhead kick which Talbot saved.
Waterford were feeling sick enough by the late concession without losing their captain O’Keefe. His foul on Kelly deep into stoppage time resulted in his second booking and the second red.
It was a night the match-winner proved too hot to handle despite his blemish from the spot, clinching Bohs a first return to Lansdowne for a Cup final since 1992.
J Talbot; A Lyons, R Cornwall (K Ward 90), C Kelly, A Breslin; K Buckley (C Levingston 82), D Devoy; A Coote (R Feely 90), R Tierney (P Omochere 70), L Burt; G Kelly.
B Murphy; D Power, K Ferguson, E Nolan, J Stafford; A Wordsworth, N O’Keeffe; J Martin, S Griffin (G Halford 54), P Patterson; J Quitirna (P Mutswunguma 70 inj, C Evans 82).
Rob Harvey (Dublin).
3492.
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