Bohemians 2 Rovers 1

First half goals sink the Hoops...

Facing a two goal deficit at half-time Pat Scully threw three up front with the introduction of Amond and Doyle at the break and it almost paid off when the Hoops launched a spirited fight-back after Doyle headed in on 63 minutes. However the concession of two first-half goals proved too much for the Hoops young team. Rovers had the first chance on goal when Sean O'Connor skipped past a defender to set-up Purcell inside the area but the Hoops striker fired over the bar.

Sean O'Connor rather harshly received his first yellow card of the night when he was adjudged to have stopped Kellys fine run towards the area from behind after 16 minutes. Brennan stepped up to punish the Hoops with a great curling free-kick into the corner of the net. The goal settled the home side and it took Rovers ten minutes to respond and when Leech won a corner Sean O'Connor delivered a great ball for Maguire to glance his header just inches wide.

Sean O'Connor then fired a speculative shot just past Brian Murphys goal after 32 minutes and five minutes later another O'Connor free-kick saw Maguire head down almost into the path of Purcell but the home 'keeper got to the ball first. Rovers went further behind when the ball fell to Rossiter 25 yards out and he fired a fine low shot past Barry Murphy. The home side had their best spell of the game now and a Fenn cross just eluded Crowe before Rossiter crossed but again it was just too high for Crowe at the back post. Good defending by Ger O'Brien followed by a goal-line clearance from Rice kept the score at 2-0 going into the break.

Rovers then effectively went to three up front and within a minute of the restart Sean O'Connor slipped the ball into the path of Purcell but Brian Murphy advanced to block Purcells effort. The home-side played some nice football for the next 15 minutes as Rovers struggled to get back into the game but some wayward shooting let them down. The game came to life again when on 63 minutes Amond fed Rice who set-up Madden down the right and his pin-point cross found the head of Doyle in front of goal. The Rovers sub headed straight at Murphy in goal but the ball squirmed away into the corner of the net to give the Hoops a lifeline.

The game changed completely now and Rovers pinned Bohs back in their own half. Flynn combined well with Sean O'Connor on 72 minutes but the cross was blocked in the area. The home side were on the back-foot and Purcell almost found Doyle inside the area on 83 minutes but the ball just wouldn't fall for the Hoops striker. An O'Connor free-kick was then claimed well by Murphy under pressure from Maguire.

As the game entered the last 5 minutes Ger O'Brien launched a free-kick into the area and the ball fell for Amond but his effort was blocked in front of goal by a defender. Flynn returned the ball but it eventually was cleared. A hectic four minutes of added on time saw Sean O'Connor receive a second yellow card and the home-side hold out for three valuable points.