Crystal's Niall O'Toole on the attack being chased by Bohs' Michael Butler.
■□■ View More Photos
Twenty four hours after winning the Youth Cup, the good people involved with the Bohemians club were celebrating once again in Ozier Park. This time it was the turn of their Division 2 squad to enjoy the fruits of success.
They went into this decider as the outsiders, but they fully deserved their triumph because they outclassed their opponents. Crystal had been crowned Division 2A champions a few weeks ago, while Bohs had won the 2B league, but on the evidence of this decider one would have thought it was the latter who were from the higher grade.
The club from Ben Wadding Park held all of the aces, and in truth the final outcome was never in any doubt.
Crystal began brightly enough and they went close after five minutes when Niall O’Toole sent in a good shot from 25 yards but John Morgan tipped over his crossbar. Two minutes later Bohs got a stranglehold when Dean Twomey opened the scoring. Colin Wallace squared the ball to the tall striker who was 25 yards out and there didn’t appear to be any real danger for Crystal; however, Twomey’s low hard strike caught Crystal ’keeper Aidan Maher by surprise and following a little bobble the ball finished up in the back of the net.
Bohs almost doubled their advantage on nine minutes, and again it was Twomey who caused havoc. He took a pass from Stephen Flynn before cutting into the penalty area from the right but he dragged his shot across the face of goal.
Bohs continued to press their opponents back and Maher had to be at his best to turn away a cracking volley from David Barrett on 21 minutes.
