Bohs blow Shels away to reclaim third

The defeat ended a nine-game unbeaten run for Shelbourne

Harry Vaughan opened the scoring for Bohemians inside a minute against Shelbourne. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Shelbourne 0 Bohemians 3 

Bohemians head coach Alan Reynolds demanded his side stand tall and show their mettle ahead of visiting Tolka Park for this north-side Dublin derby.

That the Gypsies did with aplomb to regain third place in the table.

In truth, Bohemians never looked in trouble here following Harry Vaughan’s cracking goal inside the opening minute, going on to dominate with further strikes from Collie Whelan and Ross Tierney.

A night to forget for Shelbourne saw them finish with 10 men as their nine-match unbeaten run came to an emphatic end.

Bohemians had taken the lead in each of their previous four games, but had lost three of them. It wasn't to be repeated in Drumcondra.

They once again got their noses in front here and in lightning quick fashion. There was just 27 seconds on the watch when a miskick by Shels’ defender Kameron Ledwidge was clinically punished.

Whelan out-jumped Sean Gannon to help the ball drop for Vaughan.

The 22-year-old winger did the rest, cleverly flicking the ball past Ellis Chapman to find the roof of the net with a stunning dipping volley from outside the box for a sensational third goal of the season.

Rattled by the quick-fire concession, disjointed looking Shels were struggling to get into the game as Dawson Devoy, Whelan and Markuss Strods had efforts on goal.

Though there was plenty of endeavour from Joey O’Brien’s Reds, Bohs were showing far more composure on the ball.

With frustration mounting among the home side, coach David McAllister was shown a yellow card for dissent from the dugout.

And the frustrated home support then watched as Bohemians doubled their lead moments later from Strods’ 29th minute free kick.

Shels failed to deal with the delivery into their area allowing Jordan Flores to nod the ball back across goal for Whelan to head home.

Unsurprisingly, Shels made changes ahead of the second half with Sean Boyd and Rodrigo Freitas on for Sean Gannon and Ellis Chapman.

It looked to have had an immediate effect with Portuguese striker Freitas turning home a Milan Mbeng cross inside two minutes of the restart only for an assistant referee’s flag to disallow the goal.

Though they then lost Harry Wood to injury, Shels, with a better shape, were showing more energy and impetus.

Gypsies’ defender Patrick Hickey tenaciously blocked a close range effort from Boyd after good work on the right by Ali Coote as Shels continued to press.

But that meant they lived dangerously at the other end. Bohs skipper Devoy drilled wide when set up by Connor Parsons before Whelan forced a big save from Speel.

Bohemians then punished sloppy play to seal their big win on 82 minutes.

Mbeng’s pass fell short to allow Adam McDonnell get forward. Whelan then laid the ball off for Tierney who advanced to rifle to the bottom corner.

Shelbourne’s bad night was compounded on 87 minutes when Boyd was sent off for a second yellow card for barging into Hickey.

Shelbourne: Speel; Gannon (Boyd, h-t), Barrett, Ledwidge; Mbeng, Chapman (Freitas, h-t), Caffrey, Henry-Francis, Norris (Moore, 81); Wood (Coote, 54), Kelly (Jarvis, 66).

Bohemians: Walters; Power, Hickey, Todd, Mullen; Devoy, Flores (McDonnell, 65); Strods (Rooney, 65), Tierney (Myers, 84), Vaughan (Parsons, 71); Whelan.

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).

Attendance: 5,329.