SSE Airtricity League Premier Divison
Bohemians 2 Derry City 1
DERRY City suffered their first defeat of the season and it was an old Brandywell favourite in James Akintunde who sealed the victory for Bohemians, at Dalymount Park.
Ruaidhrí Higgins’s side will be disappointed by the manner in which they conceded both goals as terrible defending cost them.
The Candystripes, not for the first time this season, were disappointing in the first half and never really got going until after the break, which has to be a concern for the Derry boss.
‘The Gypsies’, who sacked Derry man Declan Devine earlier in the week, were gifted both goals and were second best for long periods after the interval, but their battling spirit earned them a big victory.
The first effort in the opening quarter came on 15 minutes but Adam O’Reilly’s long-range strike was parried away by Bohs keeper Kacper Chorazka.
City missed a golden chance to take the lead five minutes later after Bohs centre-back Cian Byrne headed the ball back to his keeper before colliding with team-mate Jevon Mills, but Daniel Kelly was unable to turn home the loose ball, as Chorazka raced off his line to save.
Bohs were forced into a change moments later as Byrne had to be replaced by Aboubacar Keita following his clash with his team-mate.
On 30 minutes, a terrible defensive mistake by Sam Todd gifted the home side the lead as his weak back-pass only found Dayle Rooney, who calmly curled the ball into Brian Maher’s bottom right corner from just inside the box.
Referee Rob Hennessy came to Derry’s rescue soon after as once again Todd was caught out, this time Dylan Connolly raced in behind him, before falling inside the box as Maher came racing out of his goal, but the Dublin official cautioned the ex-Dundalk man for diving and awarded the visitors a free-kick.
Maher had to make a wonderful save on 48 minutes to keep Derry in the contest as Connolly’s right-wing cross found Filip Piszczek, his close-range header at the near post, which was goalbound, was superbly clawed out by the Dublin native.
Soon after, Paul McMullan was inches away from equalising, but his curling 20-yard strike, which had Chorazka beaten, fizzed just over the left hand upright.
Derry should have levelled things on 55 minutes as O’Reilly’s defence splitting pass in behind Pat Kirk released Daniel Kelly, but the winger’s close-range strike was saved by Chorazka, who did well to rush off his line to keep the strike out.
Higgins made a change just before the hour mark with skipper Patrick McEleney coming on for Jordan McEneff and Todd’s disappointing night also ended with Ciaran Coll replacing him.
A super piece of skill by McMullan on 68 minutes ended with the winger cutting inside past Michael Lilander, but his tame strike from close to the penalty spot was straight at the Polish keeper.
Derry conceded a terrible second goal on 75 minutes as Rooney’s left-wing corner into the near post wasn’t dealt with by the visitors and Akintunde was on hand to turn the ball home from close range.
Credit to the Londoner, who didn’t celebrate scoring against his old club, despite it being his first goal this season.
It only took City two minutes to get right back into the encounter as they pulled a goal back when substitute Will Patching saw his centre fall to Ronan Boyce on the edge of the box and his low 20-yard strike found Chorazka’s bottom right corner.
Despite having a host of possession and pushing Bohs back, Derry never really tested Chorazka and their final delivery, especially from wide areas, was disappointing.
Bohemians Chorazka, Kirk, Flores (J McManus 72), Rooney (B McManus 88), Piszczek (Akintunde 51), Connolly, Clarke (Grant 88), McDonnell, Byrne (Keita 24), Lilander, Mills
Derry City Maher, Boyce, Connolly, Todd (Coll 56), McJannet; O’Reilly, McEneff (P McEleney 55), McMullan, Mullen (Patching 75), Hoban, Kelly (Patton 74).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Dublin).
