Bohemians denied by stubborn defence

SETANTA CUP GROUP TWO:Bohemians 0 Coleraine 0

BOHEMIANS STAY two points ahead at the top of the Setanta Cup Group Two table after a defiant Coleraine held them to a draw in a defence-dominated game at Dalymount Park.

Manager Pat Fenlon made sweeping changes to his Bohemians’ side from the team that lost 1-0 to Shamrock Rovers in the Premier Division on Friday night, with the only survivors being Brian Murphy, Owen Heary and Anto Murphy. The Dublin side had a chance after three minutes when Sean Byrne burst down the left to send over a perfect cross only for unmarked striker Glen Crowe to head wide.

Little was seen of Coleraine as an attacking force although striker Rory Patterson did have one long-range effort just over the bar. Then winger Gareth Harkin set up a chance for Richard Gibson but the striker was too slow to react and Bohemians goalkeeper Murphy was able to grab the ball.

An Anto Murphy cross from the right was headed back across the face of goal by Gary Burke on 26 minutes but Neale Fenn’s headed effort was well saved by goalkeeper Davy O’Hare.

Bohemians might have grabbed the lead on 35 minutes when Gary Burke fed the ball to Byrne and his cross nearly let in Fenn, but defender Mark Mukendi deflected the ball for a corner.

Gary Deegan, Fenn and Killian Brennan all had chances early in the second half but never troubled O’Hare, with Mokendi and Paddy Mclaughlin outstanding in the heart of the visitors’ defence.

After a neat interchange between Fenn and Crowe on 66 minutes, Deegan had another effort from 12 yards well blocked by O’Hare with the clearance completed by Howard Beverland.

Substitute Lee Dixon then put in a low dangerous cross from the right after beating defender Matt Crossan, but there was no Bohemians forward to take advantage of the clear-cut opening.

BOHEMIANS:B.Murphy; A.Murphy, Heary, Oman, Byrne; Brennan, Deegan, McEvoy (Dixon 69), Burke; Fenn, Crowe (Hughes 73).

COLERAINE:O'Hare; Beverland, Mukendi, McLaughlin, Crossan; Boyce (Dooley 63), Hegarty, Tommons (McCallion 69), Harkin; Gibson (O'Kane 69), Patterson.

Referee:Damien Hancock (Dublin).