Bohemians 1 Shamrock Rovers 0
Dayle Rooney scored the only goal of the game to resurrect Bohemians’ season in the sweetest way possible with victory over Shamrock Rovers to knock their arch-rivals out of the FAI Cup at Dalymount Park.
The winger was central to much that was good about Bohemians, eventually calmly scoring the match winning penalty.
It brought much needed relief all around the old Phibsborough venue in marking what was only Bohemians’ second win in 12 games.
While Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds stressed in his programme notes that “nobody at the club can contemplate any other thought than progression in the FAI Cup against our great rivals”, it was Rovers who came closest to scoring in the eighth minute of a tight first half.
Jack Byrne’s arced free kick bounced through the area to come back off a post with Dan Cleary reacting first to the loose ball to plant his header over the crossbar.
Having survived, Bohemians enjoyed a good spell of possession almost capitalising on Byrne losing the ball on the stand side touchline on 22 minutes.
Alex Greive’s cross found Rooney who got turned to see it blocked by Josh Honohan.
With James Akintunde on up front, Bohemians had far more impetus from the resumption, working Leon Pohls for the first time nine minutes in from a Rooney free kick.
Despite Rovers bringing on Darragh Burns, Neil Farrugia, Trevor Clarke and Johnny Kenny in a quadruple substitute just before the hour, Bohemians remained the better side and got their winner on 68 minutes.
Rooney was the instigator as his pass into the area saw Honohan trip Ross Tierney to concede a penalty.
Pohls was sent the wrong way as Rooney scored emphatically from 12 yards.
Drogheda United avenged last week’s league defeat at Dundalk by beating their Louth neighbours 2-1 at Weavers Park in the other all-Premier Division clash
James Bolger, signed during the week, scored on his debut with a clever side-foot volley on 16 minutes to give Drogheda the lead. Warren Davis doubled that on 74 minutes with Bobby Faulkner getting Dundalk’s consolation goal in stoppage time.
In the pick of the night’s other ties, Galway United were 6-0 winners over First Division bottom side Longford Town at Eamonn Deacy Park while Waterford were given a scare as they had to come from behind to beat Donegal non-league side Cockhill Celtic 2-1 at the RSC.
Bohemians: Chorazka; Miller, Byrne, Kavanagh, Flores; Devoy, McDonnell (Clarke, 84); Rooney (Kirk, 89), Tierney, Greive (Grant, 71); Piszczek (Akintunde, h-t).
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary, Lopes, Honohan, Kavanagh (Clarke, 57); Nugent, Towell (Burns, 57), O’Neill, Noonan (Watts, 71); Byrne (Farrugia, 57); Greene (Kenny, 57).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).
Attendance: 4,431.
FAI Cup Second Round results:
Athlone Town 1 Ringmahon Rangers 0
Bohemians 1 Shamrock Rovers 0
Cobh Ramblers 0 Kerry 2
Drogheda United 2 Dundalk 1
Galway United 6 Longford Town 0
Treaty United 0 Kilbarrack United 0 (in extra-time)
Waterford 2 Cockhill Celtic 1
Wilton United 2 Carrigaline United 1
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
