A dramatic last ten minutes in Tallaght saw super sub Padraig Amond score before Pat Sullivan conceded a penalty that Bohs top scorer Jason Byrne blasted over the bar only to see Pat Sullivan sent off for continuing his protest with Ref. Alan Kelly.
The preceding 80 minutes failed to ignite although there was plenty of endeavour and hard work but not too much in the way of clear cut chances. The game was as tight as had been predicted but Rovers started well but were thankful for Sives intervention from a Rossiter cross after just 5 minutes.
Graham Barrett was bustled off the ball by Oman from Bradley’s through ball on 10 minutes and five minutes later a corner by Chisholm to the back post was headed over by Rice. A quick kick-out by Murphy saw Sullivan send the ball over the Bohs defence and Twigg ran on to lob the ball over Murphy but it fell just wide of the goal.
Aiden Price was on hand to intercept a good ball from Ndo after 20 minutes and at the other end Cronin tried to play Byrne in but his first touch let him down. Ollie Cahill shot through a crowd of players and although Barrett got a touch the Linesman flagged for offside.
A fine Chisholm cross was headed away by Shelly after 25 minutes as the game entered a scrappy period. Aiden Price was on hand to make two vital clearances on 35 minutes from crosses by Rossiter and Powell.
Rovers enjoyed the majority of the play up to half-time but the final killer ball into the area was lacking.
The visitors came into the game more in the second-half and Byrne crossed dangerously past Mannus on 51 minutes but Rovers cleared the danger. Bradley set up Sullivan to run at the Bohs defence and Robinson shot first time from his pass but Murphy got down well to save.
Aiden Price headed Ndo’s dangerous cross clear on 58 minutes and a minute later Ollie Cahill went on a fine run and found O’Connor but he was unable to put Twigg in on goal.
Joseph Ndo’s shot was blocked by Sives and Mannus took the resultant corner just after the hour. The Hoops had a let-off on 63 minutes. Ndo sent in a corner that was met by Ken Oman but he flashed his header across goal and wide.
A Pat Sullivan free kick on 66 minutes came off Rice and Sives reacted well to shoot low on goal but Murphy got down to push the ball away. Murphy then palmed away Sullivan’s cross after he combined with Kavanagh.
The game continued to be a tight affair and if a stalemate was to be avoided it needed a moment of magic to break the deadlock. Padraig Amond was only on the pitch 4 minutes when a free kick by O’Connor was attacked by Sives and the ball fell to the Carlow man and he somehow managed to squeeze the ball past Murphy from a tight angle.
The stadium erupted but with five minutes remaining Pat Sullivan seemed to barge Crowe in the box and the Ref. pointed to the spot. Jason Byrne stepped up and amazingly blasted the ball over the bar but equally amazingly Pat Sullivan took the opportunity to vent his disapproval of the original decision with the Ref. and was duly shown a second yellow card.
The visitors forced a corner and a couple of crosses into the Hoops area in the three minute of added-on time that had the crowd on their feet but the Hoops did enough to see the game out and return to the top of the table with only six games remaining in this years league campaign.
Latest league table is here.
