Bohemians off the mark

The lack of goals may have left Pete Mahon no closer to deciding on whether last night's will be the striking partnership to lead his club's campaign to retain their title.

After an opening game in which it fell to returned centre half Avery John to secure the points with a headed goal after just seven minutes, the Bohemians boss is unlikely to be too rattled about his attacking options for the suspicion is that, on another evening, Glen Crowe and Trevor Molloy would have had plenty between them.

City came to town with a sprinkling of new faces and the inevitable injuries to key players, in this case Liam Coyle sat on the bench nursing a sore knee and Padraig Moran missed out on the chance to make his competitive debut due to a pulled hamstring.

There had been nothing at all wrong with the home side's execution of the set piece that led to the goal, Paul Byrne providing the curling free from the right and Avery John getting up highest at the far post to head past Russell Payne. But having taken an early lead the Dubliners lacked their usual ruthlessness about the box with Mark Rutherford twice letting City off the hook with terribly weak finishes.

Kevin Mahon's men were struggling even to put that much together, their best chance of the first period coming courtesy of Sean Hargan whose curling shot was nicely placed but lacking in the power required to seriously test Wayne Russell.

A minute before the interval the champions should have put the game beyond their opponents when Fergal Harkin's shot was sent crashing from close range off the crossbar those Estonians had reckoned was a little too low a few weeks back.

Briefly, the Northerners looked intent on capitalising on their good fortune after the break with Tommy McCallion setting up new boy James Hughes for a looping shot that narrowly missed the target. A stronger spell followed but it didn't last. As time ran out for their visitors and their midfield became increasingly adventurous, space began to open up in front of the defence.

Kevin Hunt and Harkin did most of the providing but it was Crowe, Rutherford and Trevor Molloy who should have been sticking the chances away.

For all the shots at goal, however, Payne was barely required to make a memorable save although he was about to be beaten during the closing minutes when Paddy McLaughlin got back well to prevent Crowe's low cross reaching his striking partner at the near post.

In injury time Molloy went close to making amends with interest, the former youth international picking up Paul Byrne's short corner and flicking the ball with his heel over his own head and that of his marker.

Had he followed with a goal it would have provided a truly memorable ending to a solid win but Darren Kelly cleared off the line to keep the winning margin tight. On day one of a long season, the champions will surely settle for that.

Bohemians: Russell; Shelley, Caffrey, John, Webb; Byrne, Harkin, Hunt, Rutherford; Molloy, Crowe.

Derry City: Payne; E McCallion, Kelly, McLaughlin, Hargan; McGlynn (McCaul, 61 mins), Doherty, T McCallion, McCready; Beckett (Parkhouse, 83 mins), Hughes.

Referee: A O'Regan (Cork).