ROBERTO LOPES EMERGED the hero for Bohemians in their derby with Shamrock Rovers as his header sealed a win over their cross-city rivals at Dalymount Park tonight.
Lopes has been one of Bohs standout performers this season and he, rather appropriately, headed the winner for the Gypsies in their final home game of the season.
The last meeting between the sides in Phibsboro ended with unsavoury scenes and tensions between opposing fans.
There was no such problems this time around as the hosts set about making amends for their 4-0 hammering in that game.
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
It was Gary Shaw who had the first real effort after four minutes when the ball broke kindly to him on the edge of the Bohs box but his shot whistled just over the crossbar.
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But it was Bohs who took the lead on the quarter-hour mark.
Lorcan Fitzgerald’s in-swinging corner was met perfectly by Lopes who rose well above everybody in the box to direct an unstoppable header into the roof of the net.
Lopes was driving his side forward, and after he powered his way into the box before pulling back to Paddy Kavanagh, who saw his effort blocked with Jake Kelly’s follow-up going inches wide of the post.
All the momentum was with Bohs and they again almost doubled their lead when Keith Buckley’s run matched Fitzgerald’s searching pass in behind, but the Gypsies midfielder could only lift his effort over the bar after Barry Murphy rushed out of his goal.
The hosts picked up where they left off after the break as they made a blistering start to the second half with Ian Morris flicking another Fitzgerald corner wide at the near post and then Kavanagh went close with a venomous shot from just outside the area.
Rovers chances of getting back into the game took a significant blow midway through the second period when Patrick Cregg was sent-off.
After being cautioned earlier in the game, the Hoops captain got his second booking for a needless dive inside the Bohs box.
The home side looked comfortable after Cregg’s sending off as they dominated possession in the middle third with their numerical advantage.
Jake Kelly blazed over from a Buckley cut back in the dying minutes but it mattered little as Stephen Bradley’s troops looked devoid of ideas to get themselves back into the game with Bohs holding out for a clean sheet.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Brian Murphy; Simon Madden, Shane Hanney (Luke Kiely, 82), David O’Connor, David Webster; Gary McCabe, Patrick Cregg, Dean Clarke (Aaron Bolger 70), Brandon Miele; Gary Shaw, Seán Boyd.
Referee: Paul Tuite
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Bohs secure the local bragging rights with narrow victory over 10-man Rovers
Bohemians 1
Shamrock Rovers 0
ROBERTO LOPES EMERGED the hero for Bohemians in their derby with Shamrock Rovers as his header sealed a win over their cross-city rivals at Dalymount Park tonight.
Lopes has been one of Bohs standout performers this season and he, rather appropriately, headed the winner for the Gypsies in their final home game of the season.
The last meeting between the sides in Phibsboro ended with unsavoury scenes and tensions between opposing fans.
There was no such problems this time around as the hosts set about making amends for their 4-0 hammering in that game.
It was Gary Shaw who had the first real effort after four minutes when the ball broke kindly to him on the edge of the Bohs box but his shot whistled just over the crossbar.
But it was Bohs who took the lead on the quarter-hour mark.
Lorcan Fitzgerald’s in-swinging corner was met perfectly by Lopes who rose well above everybody in the box to direct an unstoppable header into the roof of the net.
Lopes was driving his side forward, and after he powered his way into the box before pulling back to Paddy Kavanagh, who saw his effort blocked with Jake Kelly’s follow-up going inches wide of the post.
All the momentum was with Bohs and they again almost doubled their lead when Keith Buckley’s run matched Fitzgerald’s searching pass in behind, but the Gypsies midfielder could only lift his effort over the bar after Barry Murphy rushed out of his goal.
The hosts picked up where they left off after the break as they made a blistering start to the second half with Ian Morris flicking another Fitzgerald corner wide at the near post and then Kavanagh went close with a venomous shot from just outside the area.
Rovers chances of getting back into the game took a significant blow midway through the second period when Patrick Cregg was sent-off.
After being cautioned earlier in the game, the Hoops captain got his second booking for a needless dive inside the Bohs box.
The home side looked comfortable after Cregg’s sending off as they dominated possession in the middle third with their numerical advantage.
Jake Kelly blazed over from a Buckley cut back in the dying minutes but it mattered little as Stephen Bradley’s troops looked devoid of ideas to get themselves back into the game with Bohs holding out for a clean sheet.
BOHEMIANS: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Ian Morris, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh (Mark Quigley, 90), Eoin Wearen (Dan Byrne, 86), Roberto Lopes, Jake Kelly, Keith Buckley; Kurtis Byrne (Dean O’ Halloran, 76).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Brian Murphy; Simon Madden, Shane Hanney (Luke Kiely, 82), David O’Connor, David Webster; Gary McCabe, Patrick Cregg, Dean Clarke (Aaron Bolger 70), Brandon Miele; Gary Shaw, Seán Boyd.
Referee: Paul Tuite
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