Bohemian Football Club Crest

A clinical volleyed finish by Paddy Madden mid-way through the first half was enough to see Bohemians qualify for the FAI Cup quarter-finals, much to Shelbourne’s chagrin.

The failure of the home side to create a second goal saw them suffer at times but Shelbourne seldom offered any attacking potency.

Shelbourne have endured a difficult season in the first division and sit in fifth place after losing six times. They are 13 points behind the rampant leaders Derry City and at best can aim for promotion play-offs to the Premier Division. Since Alan Mathews’ appointment on 12 July, he has overseen six league games — winning three, losing two and drawing the other.  

The return of cup action offered a welcome break from the bread and butter of league games. It was something that attracted the supporters with a fine attendance at Dalymount Park for a Dublin derby they don’t get to witness too often these days.

For Shelbourne such prestigious draws as away to Bohemians represent a novelty for a club which dominated the top tier for much of the previous decade.  

To start with, Owen Heary had a free-headed opportunity from a Ruaidhrí Higgins corner within 60 seconds, but it lacked power and was taken by goalkeeper Dean Delaney.  

Shelbourne had set out their intentions from the beginning with striker Philip Gorman leading the line, with his team sitting deep. Left-back Seán Byrne got caught out of position on 18 minutes as Jason Byrne enjoyed ample space along the right, but Madden failed to get purchase on Byrne’s cross. 

Gareth Whelan executed a superb block to deny Jason Byrne after Glenn Cronin’s stylish flick, but the goal was long coming and finally Shelbourne cracked in the 23rd minute. Man-of-the-match Heary (as voted overall by journalists — I voted for Glenn Cronin) came back to haunt his old club with a precise cross on the right for Madden, who coolly finished with a side-foot volley.  

One would have expected that conceding then would force the visitors to crawl out of their defensive shell and push forward. But the Tolka Park side offered little of an attacking threat in that opening period — the only time Chris O’Connor was called upon was to catch Gorman’s header, which looked briefly as if it would loop over him into the net.  

Gorman looks a decent attacker, and at the beginning of the second half he saw a left-foot shot from an acute angle fly narrowly over the crossbar. Heary found himself again unmarked at a corner, and this time he put plenty of power into his header, only to see it flash beyond the far post.  

Bohemians were not threatening with the same regularity as in the first half, and the absence of a second goal to finish off the tie was encouraging their opponents and making the crowd edgy.  

Brian Shelley put himself in a world of trouble 10 minutes from time when he got on the wrong side of Gorman and dragged him down on the edge of the area. Fortunately Ken Oman was in a covering position and referee Neil Doyle deemed Shelley not to be the last man issuing a yellow card to the defender.  

Thankfully for the hosts, Shels captain David McGill wastefully drove the free over, and that proved their last opening as Bohemians ground out the victory. The good form continues. 
 

Bohemians: O’Connor; Heary (C), Shelly, Oman, Powell; McGlynn (Brennan, 68), Higgins, Cronin, Quigley; Byrne (Greene, 60), Madden 

Shelbourne: Dean Delaney; Quigley (Corcoran, 67), Ryan, Whelan, Byrne; Shiels, McGill (C), O’Brien, Scully, Hughes (Foley, 75); Gorman 

Possession: Bohs: 58% Shels: 42% 

Attempts on target: Bohs: 2 Shels: 0 

Attempts off target: Bohs: 4 Shels: 4 

Corners: Bohs: 6 Shels: 3 

Bookings: Bohs: Conor Powell, Brian Shelley Shels: Philip Gorman 

Sent off: Bohs: None Shels: None