AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION: Bohemians 1 Shamrock Rovers 1COMING FROM behind with 10 men made this point, their first in six games against their arch-rivals at Tallaght Stadium, all the sweeter for Bohemians as they hampered the champions' title retention hopes.
The main talking point of another full-blooded derby, however, surrounded referee Derek Tomney who sent off Bohemians’ striker Aidan Downes just before half-time – a decision Rovers’ manager Michael O’Neill described as “ridiculous” – and also failed to give Rovers what looked a spot kick late in the game.
“There is now no margin for error,” said O’Neill afterwards. “We have to win four games and if we don’t do it we’ll not win it. We’ll see what we’re made off over the next four games.”
Bohemians matched their hosts with five in midfield and shaded the early exchanges, epitomised by winger Chris Forrester’s keenness in the tackle. With the wind behind them, though, Rovers gradually took a grip on the game and began to penetrate, picking holes in Bohemians’ defence.
Billy Dennehy wasted the first clear chance when volleying straight at Barry Murphy from the edge of the area after Ollie Cahill’s poor header dropped for him.
Clever interplay between strikers O’Neill and Gary Twigg opened up Bohemians with Aidan Price blocking the latter’s shot.
Minutes later Robert Bayly got back to do likewise as Ronan Finn bore in on goal.
Twigg maintained the pressure by outwitting Price to shoot into the side netting from a tight angle before Murphy was required to go full stretch on 26 minutes to touch away O’Neills diving header.
Well on top now, Rovers’ pressure told six minutes later. Dennehy put their fifth corner of the game over to the back post where skipper Dan Murray powered home his header unchallenged.
Twigg, for a bad tackle on Price, and Bohemians’ Downes were booked shortly afterwards as proceedings simmered to the game’s main talking point on 44 minutes.
With Richard Brush beaten, Killian Brennan’s curling free-kick hit a Rovers’ post and Downes, who’d won it when pushed over by Stephen Rice, was then contentiously sent off for diving when challenging for the loose ball with Paterson.
That angst was channelled the right way and they battled back in the second half to equalise on the hour mark. Anto Flood got away on the left onto a long ball to cross and captain Glenn Cronin’s well executed sidefooted volley into the ground deflected off a defender and into the net.
SHAMROCK ROVERS:Brush; Sullivan, Sives, Murray, Paterson; McCabe, Finn, Rice (Turner, 67 mins), Dennehy; O'Neill (Ricketts, 78 mins); Twigg (Kilduff, h-t).
BOHEMIANS:Murphy; O'Brien, Burns, Price, Cahill; Flood, Bayly (Traynor, 56 mins), Cronin, Forrester (Fagan, 87 mins); Brennan (Hurley, h-t); Downes.
Referee:Derek Tomney (Dublin).
