By Jamie Moore at Dalymount Park
It took Bohemians 11 league matches to win at home last season, winning tonight at their first attempt this season saw them win their second game in a row. Keith Long’s team sit top of the table.
Two set pieces decided this game against newly promoted Galway United, Anto Murphy profited twice from non-existent marking in the Galway box. Tommy Dunne will know his team will have to improve their defending if they are to do well this season.
Bohs had beaten Limerick 3-0 in the league and Athlone 3-0 in the EA Sports Cup in the last week and it took them just five minutes to take the lead. Lorcan Fitzgerald’s brilliant cross from a wide free-kick was headed in by Murphy.
Galway were trying to play football but Bohs' high pressure didn’t allow that and it was the home team who had the better chances to double their lead. First Dean Kelly headed over after the impressive Adam Evans’ run and cross before Derek Prendergast saw his header blocked on the line.
Galway improved in the second half but it was Bohs who continued to create the chances. Robbie Creevy’s header was stopped by a combination of Galway ‘keeper Conor Gleeson and the crossbar while Marc Griffin’s low shot was easily saved by Gleeson minutes later.
Galway went 4-4-2 in search of an equaliser and Bohs hit them with a second goal from a set piece in the 82rd minute. Anto Murphy had the freedom of the Galway box again to finish Griffin’s corner. President Michael D Higgins, a life-long Galway United supporter was in the crowd, he will not have been impressed with their attempted defending.
The Bohemians’ fans chanted ‘we are top of the league’ as the final whistle blew, that they are but upcoming games against title contenders Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers will provide a better test of exactly where they are.
Bohemians team – Delany; Pender, Prendergast, A Murphy, Fitzgerald; Kavanagh, Dillon (Creevy, 60), Lopes, Buckley, Evans (Moore, 90); Kelly (Griffin, 75)
Galway United – Gleeson; Horgan, Walsh, Oji (Cunningham, 75), Ludden; Shanahan, Sinnott, Byrne (O’Connell, 92), Molloy; Connolly; Curran (Keegan, 69)
Ref - Ray Matthews
Hear re-action from the Bohs camp on Now That's What I Call Sport this Sunday morning from 9am.
