Bohs’ Gary Connors in control.

Bohs’ Gary Connors in control.

[View photos]
Bohemians 1; Dungarvan United 3
The topsy-turvy Premier League took another turn on Saturday night when the leaders Bohemians lost at home against a highly impressive Dungarvan United team.
It proved to be a blow for the Red and Blacks because when the news came through that Waterford Crystal had won in Tramore it meant that Bohs had lost their lead at the top for the first time in over three months. Dungarvan have games in hand of the top three teams and if they can win those games they will also play a major role in the battle for the title.

Bohemians can have no complaints about what was only their 3rd defeat in league football this season. The Old Borough side were in brilliant form all through the game and they fully deserved their victory.

On Saturday night next they play away to Ferrybank and they will fancy their chances of getting another three points from that game. Bohemians on the other hand face a trip to Carrick on Sunday to play the champions, and that will not be an easy task.

Crotty scores

Bohemians opened up brightly enough and they forced three corner kicks in a row in the 15th minute. All three were taken from the left by Bobby Keoghan and his second was dropped by the Dungarvan goalkeeper Alan Landers but defender Tony Fitzgerald cleared with Alan Quinlan ready to pull the trigger. Quinlan then went close with a strong run and shot after 19 minutes.

Dungarvan began to settle down and Jondy Byrne was just over following a pass from Tommy Butler on 28 minutes. Alan Landers could only parry a shot from Bobby Keoghan after 32 minutes but he saved well from Gerry Connors after the ball had run free.

Tommy Butler did some great work for Dungarvan on 35 minutes by picking out Micheal Downey who lashed in an angled drive from the right but the former Waterford United striker saw his effort go inches wide of the far upright.

Dungarvan piled on fierce pressure on Bohs in the final minutes of the first half and they somehow managed to find the net on two occasions. Tony Fitzgerald played a long ball forward to Micheal Downey after 42 minutes.

Downey cut in from the right and let fly at the home goalkeeper Andrew Halligan who could only parry the ball away and when it fell to Gavin Crotty he gleefully hammered home his 2nd goal of the current league campaign.

That goal rocked Bohs and straight from the re-start Andrew Halligan had to tip an effort from Micheal Downey over the crossbar. From the resultant corner kick taken by Tommy Butler, Halligan saved brilliantly from an Aidan Landers header.

However, the goalkeeper could not hold on to a cross from Jondy Byrne deep into injury time in the first half and when Tommy Butler found Micheal Downey the evergreen striker did the rest with a powerful strike from inside the box.

Bohs’ fightback

Bohemians came out for the second half with fire in their bellies and they pulled a goal back on 51 minutes. Morgan Pender laid the ball off to Paul Walsh who hammered the ball low from an acute angle past Alan Landers from the right side of the pitch.

Gerry Connors was the Bohs player who had started the move. Back came the fired-up Dungarvan team and they struck the hammer blow to the leaders on 57 minutes. Ross Power played the ball down the left flank to Aidan Landers who in turn sent Tommy Butler on his merry way and he drew Andrew Halligan before beating the advancing goalkeeper from just outside the penalty area.

Gavin Crotty had a glorious chance to really send Bohemians packing on 67 minutes when he met a low cross from the right from Jondy Byrne but he shot straight at Andrew Halligan from a few yards range. It made no difference, however as the Dungarvan side easily held out against a Bohemians team who never really reached any great heights during the course of the 90 minutes.

Bohemians: Andrew Halligan, Stephen Walsh, John Boland, David Whittle, Liam Maher, Paul Walsh, Alan Quinlan, Matthew Billingham, Bobby Keoghan, Morgan Pender, Gerry Connors. Subs.: Robbie O’Keeffe for Quinlan (63 mins), Stephen McLawrence for Billingham (69 mins), Andrew Denn for Pender (84 mins).

Dungarvan United: Alan Landers, Ross Power, Derek Barry, Christy Ross Power, Tony Fitzgerlad, Miccheal Downey, Jondy Byrne, Aidan Landers, Tommy Butler, Mark Crotty, Gavin Crotty. Subs.: Leo Barry for Derek Barry (H-T), Paul Gleeson for Gavin Crotty (74 mins), Trevor Crotty for Butler (79 mins).

Ref: Jimmy McGrath.