Bohemian Football Club Crest

I drove home from Galway on Friday night a happy man. I’d witnessed another composed and professional display from our team, and what a team we have, writes Ken Farrelly.

I went through things that happened in the game. Killian Brennan waltzing between two Galway players before bending the ball onto the crossbar with his right foot. Keith Buckley and Owen Heary combining so easily down the right. Anto Food and Stephen Traynor looking like a partnership up front.

I’ve said it many times: we’re lucky to have a team, never mind a team so gifted.

Youth is a commodity wasted on the youth, it’s often been said. But there are players representing Bohs this season that are proving that it is not always so.

The level they have risen to is nothing short of wondrous. I thought about what word to use and wondrous is the right one. For the last few weeks, I’ve often watched in wonder some of the younger players take the pitch and play with such skill, determination and professionalism. 

I suppose the skill has been honed over the years by underage coaches for various teams. But the way they have taken to the League of Ireland is a reflection of the ability of Pat Fenlon and the backroom staff at the club.

The way the senior players have behaved is a testament to their character. It would have been easy for them to accept second best. Maybe not go the extra yard. Instead, they are playing like champions.

For a season that had the potential to be a disaster both on and off the pitch, it has given so much already. It gladdens the heart to see the players give their all not just week in and week out, but twice a week lately. I go to games hoping to win but I fell in love with football because when it’s played well it’s a thing of beauty and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing this season: playing well.

We played well against Derry and but for a couple of questionable decisions, we could have had something from that game. We were the better team against Bray and only rescued a point at the death. We outplayed Drogheda. The performance against Dundalk was the best performance by a losing team I think I’ve ever seen in this league. 

In fact the first half was our best display of passing and movement all season. We were much the better team against Galway and, finally, managed to beat them.

I don’t know what the rest of the season will hold for us but if we can keep most of our players fit, then who knows. My hope at the start of the season was to get through the league and still be in it and that is still the same. So what’s happening at the moment is magic. We’ve proved we belong amongst the best teams in the league.

Roll on Friday night.