EAMON ZAYED’S LATE header ensured a share of the spoils after Bohemians had come from behind to lead midway through the second-half. Dinny Corcoran and Steven Beattie found the net after Paul O’Conor had put Sligo in front.
These sides came into tonight’s match in chilly Phibsborough with little riding on the result. European qualification was mathematically impossible for both so it was all about improving or consolidating their league positions.
Despite that, it was an entertaining first-half with the Bit O’ Red finding their groove a little bit quicker and they should have been in front following an excellent move in the 8th minute.
Teenager Gary Armstrong dribbled through the centre of the opposition half before picking out Rafael Cretaro with a superb pass. The sprinting winger’s first time cross found Danny North coming in off the opposite flank but his shot hit the side netting.
Cretaro and North had decent chances to find an opener before Paul O’Conor did just that in the 24th minute. The midfielder dispossessed Anto Murphy in the box before playing a one two with Eamon Zayed and slotting the ball past Dean Delany from close range.
The lead lasted just 5 minutes. Karl Moore’s corner was headed away at the front post before being worked back in. Armstrong failed to clear properly and gifted possession to Keith Buckley just outside box. The midfielder’s shot was going wide but Dinny Corcoran got in the way to nudge the ball in.
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The Gypsies kept it level until half-time thanks in part to Anto Murphy’s superb block 6 minutes before the break. North was just about to pull trigger from close range but had the ball taken off his toe by Murphy at full stretch.
The hosts came out of the traps quickly and would have gone in front only for Richard Brush’s quick reflexes 4 minutes after the restart. Steven Beattie’s cross found Dinny Corcoran running at the back post. His shot first time was going in but the visiting keeper got the faintest of touches to put it onto the bar and over.
10 minutes later Beattie switched roles and found the second goal. Buckley made a clever run from midfield to latch on to a pass from Eoin Wearen. Buckley’s through ball found Beattie who slotted home the second goal.
It looked like Sligo had found the equaliser midway through the half when skipper Gavin Peters spotted Dean Delany off his line. Peters controlled it before hitting the ball on the bounce from 35 yards but Delany got back to tip it over at the very last minute.
The leveler eventually came with just 9 minutes left on the clock. Substitute Ruairi Keating whipped in a dangerous cross behind the Bohemians defence, which was all over the place, and Eamon Zayed’s bullet header came off the underside of the bar and over the line.
A minute later there were cries for a penalty from the home crowd and it looked like they had a case. Substitute Paddy Kavanagh’s shot in the 82nd minute looked to have come off Evan McMillan’s arm which was raised to cover his face. Referee Sean Grant disagreed.
Grant would have a big decision to make in the last few seconds as Aidan Price took one for the team by tackling North who was bearing down on goal. The red card was dished out to the home skipper just before the final whistle.
Late Zayed header earns Sligo Dalymount point
Bohemians 2
Sligo Rovers 2
EAMON ZAYED’S LATE header ensured a share of the spoils after Bohemians had come from behind to lead midway through the second-half. Dinny Corcoran and Steven Beattie found the net after Paul O’Conor had put Sligo in front.
These sides came into tonight’s match in chilly Phibsborough with little riding on the result. European qualification was mathematically impossible for both so it was all about improving or consolidating their league positions.
Despite that, it was an entertaining first-half with the Bit O’ Red finding their groove a little bit quicker and they should have been in front following an excellent move in the 8th minute.
Teenager Gary Armstrong dribbled through the centre of the opposition half before picking out Rafael Cretaro with a superb pass. The sprinting winger’s first time cross found Danny North coming in off the opposite flank but his shot hit the side netting.
Cretaro and North had decent chances to find an opener before Paul O’Conor did just that in the 24th minute. The midfielder dispossessed Anto Murphy in the box before playing a one two with Eamon Zayed and slotting the ball past Dean Delany from close range.
The lead lasted just 5 minutes. Karl Moore’s corner was headed away at the front post before being worked back in. Armstrong failed to clear properly and gifted possession to Keith Buckley just outside box. The midfielder’s shot was going wide but Dinny Corcoran got in the way to nudge the ball in.
The Gypsies kept it level until half-time thanks in part to Anto Murphy’s superb block 6 minutes before the break. North was just about to pull trigger from close range but had the ball taken off his toe by Murphy at full stretch.
The hosts came out of the traps quickly and would have gone in front only for Richard Brush’s quick reflexes 4 minutes after the restart. Steven Beattie’s cross found Dinny Corcoran running at the back post. His shot first time was going in but the visiting keeper got the faintest of touches to put it onto the bar and over.
10 minutes later Beattie switched roles and found the second goal. Buckley made a clever run from midfield to latch on to a pass from Eoin Wearen. Buckley’s through ball found Beattie who slotted home the second goal.
It looked like Sligo had found the equaliser midway through the half when skipper Gavin Peters spotted Dean Delany off his line. Peters controlled it before hitting the ball on the bounce from 35 yards but Delany got back to tip it over at the very last minute.
The leveler eventually came with just 9 minutes left on the clock. Substitute Ruairi Keating whipped in a dangerous cross behind the Bohemians defence, which was all over the place, and Eamon Zayed’s bullet header came off the underside of the bar and over the line.
A minute later there were cries for a penalty from the home crowd and it looked like they had a case. Substitute Paddy Kavanagh’s shot in the 82nd minute looked to have come off Evan McMillan’s arm which was raised to cover his face. Referee Sean Grant disagreed.
Grant would have a big decision to make in the last few seconds as Aidan Price took one for the team by tackling North who was bearing down on goal. The red card was dished out to the home skipper just before the final whistle.
Bohemians: Delany, Murphy, Price (C), Lopes, Memery, Moore (Evans 86), Buckley, Wearen, Beattie, Corcoran, Byrne (Kavanagh 67). Substitutes: McEvoy, Hyland, Best, Walsh, Shanahan.
Sligo Rovers: Brush, Ledwith, Peters (C), McMillan, North, Cretaro, O’Conor, Zayed, Armstrong (Keating 71), Boylan, Conneely. Substitutes: Spillane, Taheny, McManus.
Referee: Sean Grant
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All-Ireland Senior HC SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Eamon Zayed spoils shared Bohemians Sligo Rovers