League of Ireland: Bohemians 2 Derry City 1
Dayle Rooney’s first goal for Bohemians and a James Akintunde tap-in gave the managerless northsiders a vital three points at Dalymount Park.
Akintunde finished a Rooney corner, nudged into the six-yard box by Adam McDonnell to give Derry City goalkeeper Brian Maher no chance.
Ronan Boyce grabbed one back for an insipid Derry but it proved too little, too late as The Auld Triangle rang around the ground where 4,256 were in attendance.
Damien Duff’s Shelbourne, meanwhile, go five points clear of Derry at the top of the Premier Division after beating St Patrick’s Athletic 2-1 at Richmond Park thanks to a brace from Will Jarvis.
There are many miles to travel but Shamrock Rovers appear to have woken up, with Johnny Kenny scoring a late winner for the champions in Galway.
Back in Phibsborough, Bohs disappear into the international break still in search of a manager to replace Declan Devine, who was released last week after a 2-0 loss to Shels. But coach Derek Pender has steadied the ship.
The way Derry press defenders forced Bohs’ new loan signing Jevon Mills to go long. The English born, Irish under-19 international identified Dylan Connolly as his moving target. Connolly’s touch created an early goal chance but Filip Piszczek got no power behind the cross and Maher gathered with ease.
The early murmuring around a packed Dalymount was punctured by Derry’s drum-beating, 400 fans who journeyed south.
The Candystripes should have taken the lead through Danny Mullen after some calamitous defending when Mills and Cian Byrne clashed heads. The collision momentarily caught out goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka but Mullen could not capitalise.
Clearly dazed, Byrne was unable to continue, so American underage centre-half Aboubacar Keita and Mills, two loanees from Colorado and Hull respectively, were tasked with holding the line. Keita looks the part with his late interventions securing the win.
Bohs men have been dropping like flies in 2024. Rob Cornwall returned to the club only to limp out of the first game of the season while first choice goalkeeper James Talbot and skipper Keith Buckley are unavailable.
They needed a rub of the green. Sam Todd duly obliged with an under-hit back pass to Maher that Rooney intercepted before curling to the net on 30 minutes.
Crisis abated, but the drama was only beginning. Referee Rob Hennessy made an instant decision when Connolly shrugged off Todd, pushed the ball past Maher and went to ground. Yellow card for the winger. Free out. The Jodi Stand watched the replay on their phones before going ballistic. It was a marginal call.
At half-time, the visiting supporters reignited the League of Ireland’s flare problem with a mini-fireworks display that could land Derry in trouble. Bohs fans were banned from the recent trip to Drogheda for throwing flammables onto the pitch at Richmond Park.
It should have been two-nil early in the second half but Maher, the former Ireland under-21 goalkeeper, made a sensational save from Piszczek’s downward header after another Connolly cross.
The tall Polish forward limped off, gingerly returning only for Akintunde to have to replace him.
Chorazka kept doing his job, blocking a low effort by Adam O’Reilly who was slipped through on goal by Jordan McEneff.
That was McEneff’s last contribution as Derry manager Ruaidhrí Higgins sprung Patrick McEleney from the bench. They looked nothing like title challengers here. Paul McMullan did fashion a late chance for himself but his weak shot was easily claimed by Bohs Polish net minder.
Bohemians: Chorazka; Lilander, Byrne (Keita, 28), Mills, Kirk; Flores (McManus, 72), Clarke (Grant, 88); Rooney (McManus, 88), McDonnell, D Connolly; Piszczek (Akintunde, 50).
Derry City: Maher; Boyce, M Connolly, McJannet, Todd (Coll, 55); McEneff (P McEleney, 55), O’Reilly, Kelly (Patton, 77), McMullen (Patching, 77); Hoban, Mullen.
Referee: Rob Hennessy.
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