Bohemians 5
Cork City 0
Ronan Macnamara reports from Dalymount Park
BOHEMIANS PRODUCED THE perfect response to Friday’s ponderous display as they swatted Cork City aside in emphatic fashion.
An even game was turned on its head on the half-hour mark after Ally Gilchrist was sent off for kicking out at Jonathan Afolabi. The incident was initially let go by referee Adriano Reale before he halted proceedings moments later with Cork’s Barry Coffey baring down on goal.
Reale then brandished a red card towards Gilchrist before Jordan Flores – returning from suspension – rubbed salt into Rebel wounds with his third free kick of the season.
Adam McDonnell added another before a quickfire double from the fit again Ali Coote took the game away from Cork in the final quarter.
Local teenager James McManus’ sweet strike made it five as Declan Devine’s side powered home.
Bohemians were looking to right the wrongs of a sluggish performance at the UCD Bowl last Friday night, but they remained stuck in neutral for the first quarter and were incredibly fortunate not to fall behind after just 25 seconds.
Coffey’s cross found the head of Ruairi Keating who had two bites of the cherry from six yards but James Talbot pulled off an excellent double save.
Bohs started to go through the gears as bodies surrounded Afolabi and the influence of Kris Twardek grew on the left.
Paddy Kirk fired the Gypsies’ first shot in anger over the bar before Flores stung the palms of Daniel Moynihan from 30 yards. Half chances came and went for the hosts before the game burst into life in a whirlwind couple of minutes.
Afolabi played a deft flick to Dean Williams before he was caught late by a Gilchrist challenge which incensed the Bohs bench. Strangely, play continued momentarily with Cork on the break before Reale came back to send Gilchrist off and Flores whipped into the top corner.
Now in complete control, McDonnell doubled the advantage ten minutes after the restart as his low drive across goal found its way into the far corner.
Cork might feel that the big moments went against them as the game was taken away from them in the final 15 minutes. Substitute Cian Murphy missed an open goal before Coote turned home crosses from Twardek and Declan McDaid.
Substitute McManus picked up the ball in acres of space and found the top corner in the 84th minute to add insult to injury.
Lacking creativity recently, the return of Flores and Coote to the Bohs midfield is timely ahead of the Dublin Derby in Tallaght while Cork remain three points above UCD in the relegation playoff spot as injuries and suspensions begin to mount following a fourth successive defeat.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Grant Horton, Patrick Kirk, Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski; Jordan Flores (James Clarke 73), Adam McDonnell (James McManus 60), Kris Twardek; Jonathan Afolabi, Dylan Connolly (Declan McDaid 68), Dean Williams (Ali Coote 68).
Cork City: Daniel Moynihan; Cian Coleman, Ally Gilchrist, Josh Honohan; Aaron Bolger (John O’Donovan 74), Barry Coffey (Daniel Krezic 60), Darragh Crowley, Matt Healy, Joe O’Brien Whitmarsh (Gordon Walker 69), Albin Winbo (Cian Murphy 60); Ruairi Keating (Tunde Owolabi 60).
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