Bohemians 1-0 Longford Town
Bohemians recorded a 1-0 win over Longford Town after a tamePremier Division affair at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
The only goal of the game arrived on 33 minutes from a Paddy Kavanagh delivery that looped towards the Longford goal before Kurtis Byrne got a slight touch.
Friday night’s win sees Bohs leapfrog Sligo into fifth place before the Bit O’Red host Cork on Saturday.
Basement boys Longford were never really out-played at Dalymount, nor were they out-classed, but Alan Mathews’ side failed to create any chance of note.
It took nearly 20 minutes for the first real opening of the match to arrive, Jake Kelly’s looping header going over the Longford crossbar from a Byrne cross.
Bohs keeper first-choice Shane Supple was missing through injury, with Dean Delany deputising and the latter looked slightly nervy when dropping the first ball he had to deal with from a Don Cowan delivery.
Cowan was a lively presence on the Jodi Stand touchline in the first half, but the visitors struggled to create chances and their shooting was poor whenever they did manage to make an effort at goal.
Bohs faced a similar problem in the opening half hour, with the home side probing regularly but failing to threaten Ryan Coulter’s goal.
Long’s men attempted to slip a number of low crosses into the box that went whizzing past the goalface, but it was a high set-piece delivery that led to the opening goal.
That arrived on 33 minutes as Kavanagh’s long-range free from the Connaught Street Stand side looped dangerously into the Longford box and the deftest of touches from Byrne guided the ball home.
The 26-year-old forward has been playing in a more attacking role in the absence of Izzy Akinade out for the remainder of the season through illness, but Byrne again proved his worth with his ninth league goal of the campaign, having previously scored his side’s last three heading into the game.
There was some debate among the Bohs squad afterwards as to whether Byrne or Jake Kelly scored the goal, although the consensus among observers was that Byrne was the scorer.
The Gypsies went into the half-time break 1-0 and it was a deserved lead on the overall play as the hosts were more energetic and creative during the opening half.
With only two league wins this season – their second coming last weekend against fellow strugglers Finn Harps – Longford appear to be fighting for pride.
They looked a structured side for the most part under returned manager Alan Mathews, even if they lacked zip and any sign of spite in their attacks.
Cowan again shot over eight minutes after the break as Longford’s wait for a shot on target continued.
Besides that meek effort, nothing much of note happened until Longford substitute Noel Haverty picked up a 70th-minute booking for a strong challenge on Kelly.
It was a dire second-half in terms of entertainment, but that will be of no real concern to Long and his men.
Bohemians: Dean Delany, Derek Pender (c), Ian Morris, Derek Prendergast, Lorcán Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh, Roberto Lopes, Keith Buckley, Jake Kelly (Marco Chindea 92); Kurtis Byrne, Dean O’Halloran (Mark Quigley 70).
Longford Town: Ryan Coulter, Jamie Mulhall (Noel Haverty ht), Pat Flynn, Yann Mvita, Conor Powell (c); Don Cowan (Kaleem Simon 73), Philip Gannon, Kealan Dillon (David O’Sullivan 66), Kevin O’Connor, Peter McGlynn; Eddie Dsane
Referee: G Kelly
