Bohemians 3 Dundalk 1:BOHEMIANS' CHALLENGE for the 2010 Airtricity League title finally died at Dalymount Park last night as a 3-1 win over Dundalk was not quite enough to prevent the "top of the table" see-saw tipping in favour of arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers.
During the run in to this year’s championship there have been times when the title seemed to have taken on the properties of a cartoon bomb, the two protagonists seemingly hurling it as far away from themselves as possible.
Throughout October Shamrock Rovers turned “throwing the league away” into something of an art form but Bohemians proved no less profligate, losing dramatically to Galway United last weekend having just clawed their way back into pole position.
As a result Bohemians entered this final game two points behind Rovers. A win for the Hoops at Bray would win them the title and, furthermore, goal difference dictated that for as long as Bray and Rovers remained scoreless the winning margin Bohs required to win the league was five clear goals.
Hardly surprising then if the Bohemians support arrived at Dalymount Park with something less than optimism beating in their breasts. The players however, were well up for the challenge.
Within the opening quarter-hour Bohemians could conceivably have scored four times. Apart from Paddy Madden’s well-taken drive which found the Dundalk net from 18 yards in the 12th minute, the striker could and should have added two more.
As early as the third minute Madden shot too close to Peter Cherrie, having raced 10 yards clear of the defence and in the 16th minute he spurned another chance from eight yards following a delightful touch from Jason Byrne.
Killian Brennan might also have scored when his audacious 45-yard lob cleared the back pedalling Cherrie but glanced off the top of the crossbar.
But things really began to hot up when news came through that Bray had taken the lead against Rovers. The Bohemians faithful were now watching the champions elect.
It was a feeling that lasted only until the 42nd minute. Rovers had equalised in Bray and the remainder of the half was played out in funereal silence, only a Byrne header from Paul Keegan’s corner raising a brief rally cry as it slipped over the Dundalk bar.
Needing four second-half goals to upset the status quo, Bohemians had to start brightly but within seconds word came through that Rovers were 2-1 up on Bray.
The Bohemians players battled on. Raffaele Cretaro blazed over from a poor clearance before struggling with a Madden cross from the right that was marginally overhit.
Aaron Greene replaced Cretaro in the 65th minute and moments later the young substitute conceded possession from which Dundalk equalised. The execution was clinical as Simon Madden delivered a pinpoint cross from which Fahrudin Kuduzovic thumped a header past Murphy.
A Bray equaliser restored the home side’s spirits somewhat and both sides had chances to score before two late goals gave Bohemians a deserved win.
Daniel Kearns’ chip from the edge of the box was headed off the line by Bohemioans goalkeeper Owen Heary. But Greene put the home side ahead on 90 minutes, bundling in a far post header, before Jason Byrne dispatched a penalty that had been conceded one minute into added time by Dundalk’s Liam Burns.
BOHEMIANS:B Murphy; O Heary, B Shelley, K Oman, C Powell; K Brennan, R Cretaro (A Greene, 65), P Keegan, G McGlynn; J Byrne, P Madden Subs: C Sexton, R Lopez, A Greene, R Higgins, P Madden.
DUNDALK: P Cherrie; W Hatswell, L Burns, G Breen, S Madden; D Kearns, T Miller, D Bennett, S Maher (S Lennon, 71); F Kudozovic, M Tipton (J Breen, 90). Subs: P Murphy, S Maher, S McDonnell, C McGuigan, J Breen.
Referee: D Hanney
Attendance: 1,990.
Kudozovic 66
Madde 12, Green 90,
Byrne 90 (+2)
