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@bfcdublin Bohemians recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory over UCD on Saturday and the margin could have been far greater considering the number of chances the Gypsies created, including a penalty miss, Shane Quinn reports.
Bohs dominated for long stretches against a team that had beaten them last month at the Belfield Bowl. Unfortunately for the Phibsborough club, they could not close the gap on St Patrick’s Athletic who won by a single goal against title-chasers Sligo.
Bohs came into this game on the back of most likely their best performance of the season in Tallaght. After having Aidan Downes controversially sent off in the first half, Pat Fenlon’s man thereafter bossed proceedings against the rattled league champions.
UCD had been in strong form having won four of their past five league matches, before falling to defeat here. But those victories all came at home as the Students enjoyed a wholly unexpected golden streak after a tough season. They have, however, only won twice on the road, at struggling Drogheda and Galway.
After a positive start by Bohs, the first chance was created in the10th minute when Christy Fagan dragged a shot across the box that Stephen Traynor just failed to reach.
Bohs had the ball in the net not long after but it was disallowed for offside by lineswoman Rhona Daly. Yet there was to be no overruling Christy Fagan’s strike in the 23th minute. Keith Buckley won a 50-50 challenge, before sliding a nicely-weighted through ball to Fagan who shot low past Mark McGinley.
It was all the home side with UCD showing little sign of their recent good form. Gary Burke, eager to impress after a rare start here, tested McGinley with a fine 20-yard volley the goalkeeper beat clear.
Fagan then found his way past McGinley again, but captain Michael Leahy cleared from the line with a brilliant intervention. UCD were threatening on the counterattack with Robbie Benson, surprisingly replaced at half-time, causing concern with his pace and trickery at that time. But they were only fleeting moments of danger for the visitors in that opening half.
Burke then fell victim to injury and was taken off a couple of minutes after the break. Fagan had another chance to grab a second goal but was thwarted by McGinley’s legs as Bohs continued to make nearly all the running. The substitute, Forrester, was denied at close range by McGinley who was having a good game in the visiting goal.
Martin Russell’s men were offering very little going forward and it looked a damager limitation exercise for them. Bohs at last made the game safe on 89 minutes when Stephen Traynor sent Keith Buckley through and he finished to the bottom-left corner. The hosts subsequently won a penalty in stoppage time when Ger O’Brien was felled by Daniel Ledwith, but substitute Anto Flood blazed his spot-kick high over the crossbar.
Bohemians: Murphy: O’Brien, Burns, Heary (C), Cahill; Buckley, Cronin (Hurley, 73), McEvoy, Burke (Forrester, 48); Fagan (Flood, 83), Traynor
UCD: McGinley; Douglas (Nangle, 45), O’Connor, Leahy (C), Ledwith; Marshall (Mooney, 85), Corry, O’Conor, Benson (Belmout, 45), Meenan; Rusk.
Possession – Bohs: 65%; UCD: 35%.
Attempts on target – Bohs: 5; UCD: 1.
Attempts off target – Bohs: 5; UCD: 0.
Corners – Bohs: 3; UCD: 0.
Yellow Cards – Bohs: 0; UCD: 0.
Red Cards – Bohs: 0; UCD: 0.
Referee – Graham Kelly (Cork). |
