Bohs ensure Premier Division safety with Showgrounds victory
Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Bohemians guaranteed their Premier Division status for 2025 with their first league win in three, all but ending Sligo Rovers' hopes of European football next season by beating the Bit O'Red at the Showgrounds for the second time this year.
Goals from Dawson Devoy and Archie Meekison were enough for a disciplined Bohs who are now seven points clear of Drogheda and therefore cannot be caught by the ninth-placed Boynesiders with two games to go.
The result means Rovers are now five points off St Pat's who occupy the division's final Europa Conference League qualification spot should Derry win the FAI Cup.
Missing a handful of attacking players courtesy of both injury and suspension, Rovers were forced into two changes with Kailin Barlow and Owen Elding replacing Ellis Chapman and Luke Pearce from the score draw against Derry last Monday.
Knowing a second win in Sligo this season would assure their top-flight status for yet another year, Bohs made just the one change in personnel from their loss to St Pat's.
Martin Miller returned in place of the suspended Ross Tierney who was sent off against the Saints.
Rovers were chasing down eight league wins at home in a row for the first time this century.
Skipper Niall Morahan had the game's first opportunity seven minutes in when Ollie Denham nodded Will Fitzgerald's corner back across the face of goal for Morahan who was unable to get a clean contact with his header which sailed narrowly wide.
Arguably Rovers' outstanding performer this term, goalkeeper Ed McGinty pulled off what is now a trademark reaction save to deny James Clarke from five yards.
The Oxford loanee somehow got a hand to Clarke's point-blank effort from a Dawson Devoy cross.
On his centenary appearance, Sligo's Will Fitzgerald fizzed a drive across the bow of Kacper Chorazka's goal on 22 minutes, moments before the Gypsies hit the front.
Clarke's work forced the ball through to Devoy who created enough space for himself to fire into the corner of McGinty's net from ten yards out.
Lifted by this, Bohs had a short period of dominance but it was the hosts who ended the half the stronger.
Elding did well to lay JR Wilson's cross into the path of Simon Power, but the Wicklow man was slightly behind Elding's assist as he could only wrap the ball the wrong side of Chorazka's far post.
While the Pole had to use both hands to push Fitzgerald's lusciously struck half-volley over his crossbar 60 seconds from the interval.
The Dubliners spurned a great chance to extend their lead on 63 minutes when Dayle Rooney blazed over after Denham got the ball stuck under his feet.
Elding should have had Sligo level on 76 minutes but shot wide with the goal at his mercy. The group of Bohs defenders in close proximity did enough to put off the teenager.
Russell's side were to regret this six minutes later when Connor Malley conceded play in midfield. Devoy was allowed to travel unchallenged before finding Meekison whose neatly struck effort flew past McGinty.
Ed McGinty; JR Wilson, Niall Morahan, Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchison; Jack Henry-Francis, Conor Malley; Will Fitzgerald, Kailin Barlow (Stefan Radosavljevic 67), Owen Elding; Simon Power.
Kacper Chorazka; Martin Miller, Jake Carroll, Cian Byrne, Paddy Kirk; Adam McDonnell (Danny Grant 78), Jordan Flores; Archie Meekison (Jevon Mills 92), Dawson Devoy, Dayle Rooney; James Clarke (Alexander Greive 84).
Rob Harvey
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