Jim OSullivan

Bohs defender Stephen Walsh receiving a yellow card from referee

Bohemians 4; Southend United 1

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Age old rivals Bohemians and Southend United met in Ben Wadding Park on Sunday but it did not produce very much in the way of fireworks.

The ‘red and blacks’ had too much power for a young Southend side who fought hard all through but never really looked like getting anything from the game.

Bohs took the lead after 10 minutes. Thomas Moore and David Kennedy combined to set up Gerry Connors and he gave goalkeeper Cliff Kearney no chance to score the first of his three goals.

Bobby Keoghan scored directly from a right-wing corner on 26 minutes. He cracked the ball low from the flag and straight into the far corner of the net.

Connors scored once again just after the half-hour mark when he took a pass from David Kennedy before racing past the defence and slotting the ball past Cliff Kearney.

Stephen Walsh of Bohemians was sent off on the hour and Southend gave themselves a glimmer of hope when they scored through Lee Russell six minutes later. Russell beat the offside trap following a pass from Dan Murphy.

Connors completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, running on to a pass from Jamie Swift and beating Cliff Kearney from close range.

 

Bohemians: Geoff Kelly, Paul Quinlan, Thomas Moore, Stephen Walsh, Kevin Whittle, Adam Hyslop, Bobby Keoghan, Robbie O’Keeffe, John O’Brien, David Kennedy, Gerry Connors. Subs: Stephen McLawrence for Keoghan (61 mins), David Whittle for Kevin Whittle (63), Jamie Swift for O’Brien (74).

Southend United: Cliff Kearney, Paddy Dooley, Stephen Murphy, Liam O’Rourke, Ricky Merrigan, Michael Caulfield, Lee Russell, Ian Caulfield, Dan Murphy, Darren White, David Croke.Subs: Mark Phelan for Dooley (71 mins), Sean O’Loughlin for White (72).

Referee: Tony Walsh.