With so many new players roaming around out there last night it was difficult to know exactly what to expect at Tolka Park. The influx of new bodies has raised expectations at both clubs after what were, in very different ways, the disappointments of last season.
After just one game the team's positions looked slightly inverted. Shelbourne were aiming to get things moving in the right direction after last week's misadventure against Galway, while Bohemians were hoping to build on their decent win at Waterford.
It was Shelbourne who achieved their objective thanks to Stephen Geoghegan's 10 yard strike 20 minutes from time, although Roddy Collins should get over the disappointment quickly enough as there was plenty in his team's overall performance to draw encouragement from.
Collins had gambled heavily on overseas signings for the new campaign just as Joe McGrath did 12 months ago. As his predecessor's experience goes to show, there's generally not much sympathy for the manager when this sort of approach doesn't come off and brave displays which end with defeat don't tend to count for much either.
On the strength of last night's showing Bohemians appear to have acquired at least enough quality to achieve a very comfortable midtable position this season. Certainly Wayne Russell, the goalkeeper signed from Glentoran, former under-20 international striker Glen Crowe and left sided midfielder Mark Dempsey all look capable of making their mark on the premier division. Had Russell not been so solid in the opening half last night his side would probably have been out of the reckoning by halftime, while the outfield pair caused their share of problems throughout a tightly contested 90 minutes.
The bulk of the chances in the match were produced by Dermot Keely's men. Richie Baker went close to scoring as early as the seventh minute when Paul Byrne's error allowed the young winger in for the shot, while Stephen Geoghegan had a string of chances before he finally found the net.
For Bohemians the main problem was that up front Crowe and Jamie Harris, a much talked about pairing this week after both scored on their competitive debuts in Waterford, saw too little of the ball and, when they did get hold of it, it was usually 30 yards out and they had their backs to the goal.
In contrast, the sort of crosses that Collins has said will be a key part of his side's approach this season were being produced in abundance and the Baker brothers were thriving. Inside them Gary Haylock and Geoghegan might have been expected to do a good deal more with what was being sent their way but Russell was a constant irritation. However well their goalkeeper was playing, it seemed only a matter of time before Shelbourne opened the scoring. They came within a whisker of making the break when Byrne caught them napping with a 25 yard drive.
The second period was a more balanced affair and Crowe's pace and ingenuity almost got him on the scoresheet when he nipped in ahead of Owen Heary down the left, cut inside and drove low towards Steve Williams's near post. The Welshman just got down quickly enough and though the ball squeezed under his body, he had made enough contact to push it away.
Geoghegan was slightly more ruthless with his finishing when the goal eventually came 10 minutes later. Initially he tried to flick the cross from the right on for Pat Fenlon who was arriving in the area, but the midfielder was beaten to the ball and the attempted interception ran straight back to the 29-year-old who was almost half way into the box.
With close to a dozen of the new arrivals playing last night there might have been some doubt about what would happen next. With Geoghegan, in that position, only one outcome was likely.
Bohemians: Russell; T O'Connor, O'Driscoll, Maher, Mullen; Byrne, Hunt, Caffrey, Dempsey; Harris, Crowe. Subs: O'Connor for Byrne (71 mins), Crawford for Mullen (81 mins).
Shelbourne: Williams; Heary, McCarthy, Scully, D Geoghegan; D Baker, Van der Velden, Fenlon, R Baker; Haylock, S Geoghegan. Subs: Doolin for Fenlon (73 mins).
Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).
