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@bfcdublin Bohemians required extra-time to defeat Dundalk and reach the semi-finals of the Ford FAI Cup, Shane Quinn reports.
Anto Flood was the player who finally broke the deadlock with a poacher’s header in second half extra-time. 
This replay, if truth be told, was not an entertaining game but credit to the Gypsies for keeping their patience and finally wearing the Louthmen down. Dundalk had been shaken by the news their most experienced defender, Colin Hawkins, will be out for another six weeks with a knee ligament problem.
This was the third meeting in the space of eight days between two clubs who, between them, have won 20 League of Ireland titles (11 for Bohs, 9 for Dundalk). The Lilywhites do hold a slight advantage in this competition, as they have claimed the FAI Cup on nine occasions, compared to Bohs’ seven.
Almost directly from the kick-off, Killian Brennan’s diagonal free-kick was acrobatically crossed into the area by Owen Heary only for Ger O’Brien to head over. 
The versatile O’Brien, playing on the right wing tonight, will have been disappointed not to have at least found the target.
It was a promising start by the home side, but Dundalk were beginning to create the odd opening themselves. Mark Quigley had an excellent free-kick opportunity in the ninth minute when Glenn Cronin fouled striker Mark Griffin just outside the box. Quigley’s effort was a poor one, however; too high to trouble goalkeeper Barry Murphy.
Shortly after, Quigley was more accurate following a good move by Dundalk down the left flank. The former Bohs man’s left-footed volley, not a particularly powerful effort, drew a decent stop from Murphy, who pushed clear. 
Dundalk settled into the tie as the second half wore on. They were much more defensively solid in comparison to their display in the 3-1 defeat here last week.
After the encouraging opening minutes, Bohs struggled to create chances with the game being played at a slow tempo. Much of the passing by both sides in that opening half was played sideways or backwards, and was leading to a kind of stalemate.
The quality of distribution did not improve into the early stages of the second half, with O’Brien guilty on more than one occasion of conceding possession. Quigley had another effort at goal but Murphy had his body behind the ball the entire way.
The visiting fans, meanwhile, were making plenty of noise in The Shed. There was also an impressive contingent of Dundalk followers, not surprising since soccer is a hugely popular sport in Louth.
Man of the match Owen Heary went on a rare foray into the Dundalk box, but was put off by Aidan Downes’ presence as he headed Robert Bayly’s cross harmlessly wide. The odds were stacked in Bohs favour further when Dundalk’s defender Dean Bennett was sent off by referee Tomás Connolly. Bennett had been initially booked for a tackle on substitute Keith Buckley, but then received a second yellow card, presumably for something he said to Connolly.
Just minutes after that, Quigley thought for a moment he had scored but his rocket of a 30-yard free-kick whistled past Murphy’s left-hand post. Bohs were pushing forward now and following Carl McHugh’s cynical challenge on Brennan, the winger rolled across to Mark Rossiter, who couldn’t keep his shot down.
Christy Fagan, on in Downes’ stead, had a shot comfortably saved by Peter Cherrie, as did Brennan as extra-time loomed. On 98 minutes, Bayly narrowly fired over the crossbar from a Keith Buckley pass as the pressure mounted on their opponents’ goal. 
At long last it came, on 108 minutes, the opening goal by Flood. Dundalk did not learn the lesson of letting Mark Rossiter shoot from a Brennan’s free-kick. Rossiter’s effort was off target but the opportunistic Flood was perfectly placed to redirect the ball into the far corner of the net.
Quigley went within inches again with another spectacular long-ranger, but for the tired 10 men, it now proved an impossible task.
Bohemians: B Murphy; Heary, Price, Burns, Rossiter; O’Brien (Buckley, 65), Cronin, Bayly, Brennan; Downes (Fagan, 85), Flood
Dundalk: Cherrie; Madden, C Byrne, Bennett, McHugh; Breen, Ward, Bolger, N Murphy; Quigley, Griffin (J Byrne, 65)
Possession – Bohs: 68%; Dundalk: 32%.
Attempts on target – Bohs: 4; Dundalk: 6. Attempts off target – Bohs: 7; Dundalk: 6.
Corners – Bohs: 4; Dundalk: 2.
Yellow cards – Bohs: Aidan Price, Christy Fagan; Dundalk: Nathan Murphy, Carl Hugh.
Red cards – Bohs: 0; Dundalk: Dean Bennett.
Referee – Tomás Connolly (Dublin). |
