Shelbourne leave it late to secure fourth consecutive win to top the table

Damian Duff's Shelbourne are sitting top of the table after round five.

Fri, 08 Mar, 2024 - 22:06

John Fallon, Dalymount Park

BOHEMIANS…0

SHELBOURNE…2 (Will Jarvis pen 80, Gavin Molloy 85)

Onwards and upwards the Damien Duff revolution of Shelbourne propels from Premier Division newcomers to title challengers.

This victory – secured by two goals in the final 10 minutes – was their fourth on the spin and the third recorded with a clean sheet.

An FAI Cup final in his first season was bettered by European qualification in his second and now they inhabit the summit, two points ahead of Derry City.

They’ve already overcome five-in-a-row chasing Shamrock Rovers on their run to the top.

What’s certain is that the Ireland legend at the helm won’t curb their ambition.

Bohemians, on the other hand, are experiencing the other side of the game’s fortunes; their malaise since the FAI Cup final in November deepening.

Anxiety in the stands was reflected by a bout of booing at full-time.

Inconsistency of selection has dogged Bohemians since Declan Devine arrived at the club.

That’s been due to a few of their marquee signings failing to deliver when it mattered but there’s a general sense, not unique to his case, of still settling on his best team.

Monday’s defeat at Drogheda United certainly provided insight to the boss, for he culled four of his starters.

Sten Reinkort was part of an Estonian influx during the off-season, the striker arriving with a reputation for being a targetman with armoury to boot, but it went downhill after marking his debut with a goal.

He was hauled off at the break at Drogheda and relegated to the bench here, allowing another of their imports, Filip Piszczek, get his chance to assume that role up front.

They would swap places with 15 minutes but to no avail, unlike a similar switch for Shels which led to Sean Boyd altering the complexion of the outcome.

Fatigue couldn't have been a factor in the Bohs overhaul, as their game against Dundalk a week earlier was postponed due to weather, but rotation influenced Duff’s selection.

Their third game in seven games necessitated freshness, so in came Tyreke Wilson and John O’Sullivan to add impetus.

They are two of the four ex-Bohemians players in the Shels side and it was replicated in the opposite direction.

Maybe the familiarity contributed to the cagey opening 45 minutes because the lively parts of the Dublin derby stemmed from the mouths of players rather than action in the goalmouth.

The exchanges between Bohs right-winger Dylan Connolly and his marker Wilson were particularly entertaining, the best of them in response to the Shels defender getting shoved into the advertising hoarding.

Wilson eventually had the last laugh, goading Connolly in front of a buoyant away section just as their final whistle celebrations loomed.

Paddy Barrett could be accused of supplying false hope to the hardy souls packing out Dalymount on a chilly night by conjuring the best opening inside 40 seconds.

For a centre-back, his speculative lob from 50 yards was inch-perfect, forcing Kacper Chorazka to back-peddle to tip the ball over his crossbar.

That aside, it was slim pickings. Another former Red, Brian McManus, barged into the box approaching the break, only to see his low shot block.

Despite the presence of quality on the pitch, the fare didn’t match it. Just once in the first half, widemen Will Jarvis and Liam Burt combined to fashion a chance but a bobble was at play when the latter skied his 30-yarder off-target.

It would take until 13 minutes from the end for Jarvis to get another sight on goal, as he slalomed inside on one of his trademark dribbles, yet the lack of accuracy made for a routine save by Chorazka. He would eventually get a clearer view.

Before that, shortly after a break that saw both booked players, McManus and O’Sullivan hauled ashore, Bohs posed the stronger threat.

With the organisation of visitors side their hallmark, enterprise was required and that entailed spraying the ball across the box from right to left where Paddy Kirk opened up his body to unleash but couldn’t angle his shot past the outstretched leg of Conor Kearns.

That would be the last time the Shels stopper was worked.

Boyd, criticised by Duff for following up his opening day goal against Waterford with a red card, ghosted in behind to latch onto a deflected shot, forcing Cian Byrne to clip his ankle. Up stepped Jarvis to trickle his penalty into the bottom left corner.

Another sub, Shane Farrell, also caused consternation and from a Wilson curling free-kick, Gavin Molloy rose highest to glance his header beyond Chorazka.

BOHEMIANS: K Chorazka; M Lilander, C Byrne, J Flores, P Kirk; A McDonnell, B McManus (M Miller 46); D Connolly, J Clarke, D Rooney (D Grant 75); F Piszczek (S Reinkort 75).

SHELBOURNE: C Kearns; S Gannon, L Temple, G Molloy, T Wilson; JJ Lunney (J Haiki 88), M Coyle; (W Jarvis (M Smith 83), J O’Sullivan (E Caffrey 46), L Burt (S Farrell 83); J Martin (S Boyd 64).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).

Attendance: 4,429.