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26/11/2011 (Sat) - Airtricity Under-19 League, Elite Division
Bohemians 1, Mervue United 0
Report by Stephen Burke. After last week's excellent 1-0 win at Tallaght Stadium, the young Gypsies chalked up another three points after this hard-earned victory over a very useful Mervue United side.
The teams made light of the tricky, variable wind from Cabra. Bohs had the breeze to their backs in the first half and made a bright start edging in front in the 9th minute when Michael Scott dived to head home after Dan Mahon's shot had thundered back off the crossbar.  Mervue began to find their feet but couldn't sustain much pressure on the home goal. The Gypsies really turned it on during the 15 minutes before the break, forcing six corners and with shots on target from Mahon (at least three) and Daniel Byrne. Paddy Seery also went close but his shot was tipped over by O'Malley.
 Bohs' captain Seery, who put in another really strong performance, had picked up a knock during the first period and the game had only just restarted when he had to retire.
Coach Graham O'Hanlon was forced into re-arranging his forces, Luke Byrne dropping in beside Ryan Thorpe at centre back, Conor O'Brien coming on to partner Daniel Byrne in the centre of the park. Bohs had the same problem Mervue had in the first half, getting the ball to stick in their opponents' half of the field, and had to defend a lot more. Mervue's Billy Lane looped a header that dropped just wide of the posts in the 59th minute, Greg Murray making a solid save shortly after. Brian Connolly was holding his head in his hands in 72nd minute after hitting a post, but after that scare Bohs picked up their play and started to threaten on the break more with some storming runs from full backs Stephen Barker and Philly McCabe. Mahon fired over after one surge, Correy Davidson almost getting on the end of a well-weighted pass from Gareth Brady.
Mervue piled forward towards the close to force three corners and a couple of frees from threatening positions, but the home defence had grown more and more assured as the match wore on, keeper Murray always in command and rightly confident in his back four. Our young Bohemians closed out the game, not with ease perhaps, but certainly with composure and no little determination to chalk up their first victory at home.
Bohemians - Greg Murray; Stephen Barker, Paddy Seery (captain) (inj. 48 Conor O'Brien), Ryan Thorpe, Philip McCabe; Michael Scott, Daniel Byrne, Luke Byrne, Correy Davidson; Lee Lismore (77 Gareth Brady), Dan Mahon (85 Gary Caffrey).
Unused subs - Gareth Lloyd, Cian Gordon, Dan Higgins, Dean Brady (gk).
Mervue United - Conor O'Malley; Andy Higgins, Ryan Ludden, Padraig Keane, Andrew Daniel (captain) (70 Christian Lomboto), Ciaran Fahy, Sean O'Boyle (63 Shane Keogh), Ian Batley, Billy Lane, Brian Connolly, Conor Byrne (82 Jamie Fallon).
Unused subs - Mark McGrath, Cillian Murphy.
Bohs' record now reads: played 9, won 4, drawn 3, lost 2, for 16, against 13.
Bohs' scorers: 5 Dan Mahon, 2 Daniel Byrne, 2 Correy Davidson, 2 Conor O'Brien, 1 Gareth Brady, 1 Gary Caffrey, 1 Cian Gorman, 1 Philip McCabe, 1 Michael Scott.
Photos: A. Baldiemann.
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