Richie Purdy proved an unlikely match winner as Shamrock Rovers inflicted further difficulties on injury-hit Bohemians in a frantic Dublin derby at Tolka Park last night.
The game had the added controversy of a dubious sending off as Bohemians defender Maurice O'Driscoll was harshly red-carded four minutes before half-time.
O'Driscoll certainly deserved a booking for a bad challenge on Rovers' striker Tony Cousins. But Rovers' midfielder Marc Kenny got involved with O'Driscoll, who appeared to push him away and was then sent-off.
Rovers were ahead at that stage from the first of Purdy's brace on 37 minutes. Kenny's crisply-struck free-kick had the perfect pace on it for Purdy to meet the ball which powered off his head and into the net past Michael Dempsey from eight yards.
Bohemians had survived Rovers' early attacks to create a couple of near chances before the break. The best of them came when Brendan Markey glanced a header from Derek McGrath's good cross just over on 35 minutes. Bohemians enjoyed a good spell early in the second half with Graham Lawlor having two opportunities which he never got hold of, before Rovers came back at them.
Dempsey kept his side in the match with a finger-tip save to push a Kenny free-kick on to a post on 55 minutes, while Tony Cousins created a great opening for himself before curling a delightful shot on to the opposite post 11 minutes later.
But Bohemians' resilience showed through for much of the match and they equalised three minutes later when Brian Mooney shot home at the back post from Derek Swan's deep cross from the right.
The frantic pace of the game may have told on 10-man Bohemians late on, however, and in a final push Rovers got their winner four minutes from time when Purdy rose well at the far post to head in Kenny's precise corner.
Shamrock Rovers: Forde; Whelan, Brazil, Purdy; Britton, Kenny, Tracey, Colwell, Dunne; Cousins, Francis. Sub: Christie for Francis (81 mins).
Bohemians: Dempsey; Hanrahan, Mullen, O'Driscoll, Byrne; McGrath, Doolin, Lawlor, McGrath; Markey, Swan. Sub: Parkes for Markey (68 mins). Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).
