Devoy smashes home late winner against Drogs to keep Bohs title hopes alive

Dawson Devoy proved the hero on the night. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Bohemian 2 Drogheda United 1

The Dalymount double remained on for Bohs, who again left it late, to overcome a spirited Drogheda United.

Celebrating the news that their Dalymount dwelling would be extended until next May, the home fans were in fine voice throughout thanks to Connor Parsons first half goal, but Andy Quinn’s second half equaliser silenced the majority of the 4,401 in attendance, before captain fantastic, Dawson Devoy smashed home a 91st minute winner.

The home side showed why, at the time of kick-off, they boasted the best goal-scoring record flying out of the traps, epitomised by right-back Darragh Power smashing a powerful drive into the wrong side of the boisterous home supporters' liking.

Buoyed by their back-to-back wins last weekend, in which they blew the race to avoid the relegation play-off wide open, the visitors carried a threat of their own through the powerful Thomas Oluwa who was proving to be more than a handful.

In a breathless opening quarter of an hour the home side went agonisingly close through a couple of Jordan Flores strikes that narrowly missed the bottom corner, but it was Kevin Doherty’s side who should have been ahead 20-minutes in following some great work by Edwin Agbaje.

Devoy celebrates the late winner. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

The right wing back cleverly cut the ball back into the danger area finding his opposite number in Conor Kane whose shot from just yards out was blocked by his own player in the shape of Alfie Bates. The ball somehow then sat up kindly for Bates to have a bite of the cherry himself but, with the goal at his mercy, somehow dragged his shot wide.

The visitors then suffered a double blow on the stroke of half time when they fell behind to a fortuitous opening goal when the pacey Parsons was released through on goal by Colm Whelen and saw his finish deflected up off of the recovering Connor Keeley and over former Bohs stopper Luke Dennison, who then had to be replaced having not recovered from an earlier clash with Whelan.

As the rain swirled around Phibsborough, it did nothing to dampen the spirits as both teams continued at a relentless pace in a more attritional second half, understandable given what was on the line for both sides.

A sense of deflation engulfed the ground in a matter of seconds as, at the same time Shamrock Rovers went 3-2 up in Tallaght, Andrew Quinn pounced after an almighty goal mouth scramble to level for his side.

Deflation was replaced by desperation as Bohs saw their title hopes slip away, and having seen Douglas James-Taylor spurn a glorious one-on-one, Devoy stepped up to the plate and powered home to keep his side three points off the top.

BOHEMIANS: Paul Walters; Darragh Power, Pat Hickey, Cian Byrne, Senan Mullen (Paddy Madden, 79’); Dawson Devoy, Jordan Flores; Harry Vaughan (Zane Myers, 66’), Ross Tierney (Niall Morahan, 90+4’), Connor Parsons (Adam McDonnell, 90+4’); Colm Whelan (Douglas James-Taylor, 66’) Subs not used: Kacper Chorazka, Ryan Burke, Sadou Diallou, Markuss Strods 

DROGHEDA UTD: Luke Dennison (Fynn Talley, 44’); Andrew Quinn, Conor Keeley, Leo Burney; Edwin Agbaje, Alfie Bates (Shane Farrell, 53’), Ethan O’Brien, Conor Kane; Brandon Kavanagh (Mark Doyle, 67’), Warren Davis, Thomas Oluwa (Ryan Markey, 67’) Subs not used: Jamie Brennan, Kieran Cruise, Daniel Mare, Sean McGrath, Calum Donnelly 

Referee: Rob Hennessy