Harkin earns Bohs the points

Harkin earns Bohs the points

Bohemians 1-0 Drogheda United
Fergal Harkin was the hero of Dalymount as his strike earned all three points for the champions against Drogheda United after yet another nervy performance.

The home supporters have seen Shamrock Rovers and Derry City plunder points from Dalymount already this season and this looked like another banana skin for Stephan Kenny’ side. It took 63-mintes for the only goal of the game to be scored by Harkin, although he only got the faintest of touches to a Glen Crowe shot. Kevin Hunt’s shot was parried by the excellent Gary Rogers in the Drogheda goal and Crowe pounced on the rebound, which Harkin helped across the line.

Bohs had been pressing for some time but were finding it hard to break down a resolute Drogheda back line, which was playing offside at every occasion. The visitors’ early chances were restricted to breaks with Neil Tarrant and Mark Quinless spurning decent chances to open the scoring. Quinless’ luck was out just before the break when he hit the Bohs post, but his misfortune was nothing compared to that of Paul Keegan, who had two goals ruled out for the champions. He was deemed to have handled a 26th minute effort and minutes later the offside flag deprived him again.

Bohs pressed and were duly rewarded with Harkin’s goal but Drogheda were not going to give up without a fight and they camped inside the Bohs half in the final minutes in search of an equaliser, and it nearly came in injury time. Danny O’Connor’s shot struck the post and with the goal gapping, Andy Myler conspired to fire the rebound high and over the crossbar.

Bohemians – Kelly, Lynch, Hawkins, Oman, Webb, Ryan, Harkin, Hunt, Rutherford (Morrison 85), Crowe, Keegan.

Drogheda United – Rogers, O’Connor, Bunce, Lynch, Kelly, Quinless (Jones 73), Beesley, Tierney (Flanagan 80), Cronin, O’Brien, Tarrant (Myler 70).

Referee – E Barr (Dublin)


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