Bohemians 1

Cork City 0

Darryl Geraghty reporting at Dalymount Park

THE GYPSIES BOUNCED back from last week’s bitter FAI Cup semi-final defeat with a hugely important and hard-fought 1-0 over Cork City, thanks to a fortuitous second-half goal from Derek Pender.

It was all the home side in the opening exchanges, Keith Ward was dictating play from the middle, and the Danny Grant versus Colm Horgan battle began to take shape.

The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock came after just fifteen minutes when Ross Tierney turned a header from a Keith Ward corner on target, only for Tadhg Ryan to smartly tip over.

City, who have now failed to score in their last four games, began to grow into the game and went close from distance on a number of occasions as the belief began to flow into the visitors.

Daire O’Connor missed the top corner by inches with an effort from the right hand side of the area, quickly followed by Karl Sheppard and Eoghan Stokes volleying just off target.

The breakthrough eventually came just two minutes after the interval in the form of an unlikely scorer doing so in the unlikeliest of fashions.

Bohemians 1-0 Cork City - Derek Pender puts the home side in front with a big slice of luck and it's one that Tadhg Ryan won't want to see again. #rtesoccer #soccrepublic pic.twitter.com/50gRPFYAC5

— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) October 4, 2019

Derek Pender linked up cleverly with Luke Wade-Slater on the right wing, before clipping a cross to the far post.

Under no pressure, stopper Tadhg Ryan caught the ball cleanly before somehow getting himself tangled in knots: falling to the ground and allowing the ball to spill over the line.

City were still very much in the game and almost responded immediately through ex-Bohs man Eoghan Stokes, whose brilliantly taken first-time volley narrowly missed the far post.

Under the watchful eye of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy, the encounter petered out as Keith Long’s men seemed content with the one goal.

Tonight’s results mean the Gypsies have put themselves in a fantastic position for a European spot with just three games remaining.

Meanwhile, the Rebel Army, now having lost five and drawn one of Fenn’s first six games in charge, are still in danger of ending up in a promotion/relegation play-off.

Bohemian FC: James Talbot, Derek Pender (c) (Michael Barker 75’), Rob Cornwall, Scott Allardice, Keith Ward (Dawson Devoy 81’), Danny Grant (Ryan Graydon, 90’), Andre Wright, James Finnerty, Paddy Kirk, Ross Tierney, Luke Wade-Slater

Subs: Mick Kelly, Alex Kelly, Ryan Graydon, Michael Barker, Ryan Swan, Katlego Mashego, Dawson Devoy

Cork City: Tadhg Ryan, Colm Horgan, Eoghan Stokes (Mark O’Sullivan 75’), Conor McCormack, Daire O’Connor (Dale Holland 85’), Alec Byrne, Karl Sheppard, Shane Griffin, Conor McCarthy, Joel Coustrain (Ben O’Brien-Whitmarsh, 89’), Dan Casey

Subs: Mark McNulty, Alan Bennett, Mark O’Sullivan, Ben O’Brien-Whitmarsh, Rory Doyle, Dale Holland, Jake O’Brien

Referee: Rob Harvey

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