Alan Reynolds has praised Dayle Rooney for epitomising Bohemians' reborn confidence.
Capping an excellent al- round performance, winger Rooney scored the only goal of the game from a first-half penalty as Bohs beat champions Shelbourne 1-0 in the north Dublin derby at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
Shels’ head coach Damien Duff had to watch from the grass embankment up behind the goal at the school end as he served a one-match suspension for an accumulation of five yellow cards.
It wasn’t pretty viewing for the Republic of Ireland legend as he saw his captain Mark Coyle sent off after conceding the 36th-minute penalty.
It got no better for the Drumcondra side as substitute Ali Coote was also dismissed in the second half when receiving a second yellow card for diving while coach David McAllister was sent from the dugout for dissent.
It left plenty of soul-searching for Shelbourne, who are now seven points off the top in sixth place after just one win in their last seven games, ahead of Monday’s home meeting with Drogheda United.
All in contrast to their old rivals. A seventh win in nine games sees the Gypsies edge up to third place, just two points off leaders Shamrock Rovers.
That’s in stark variance to the end of March when a run of five defeats in six saw Bohs plummet to second bottom of the table with chants of 'We want Rennie out’ ringing in head coach Reynolds’ ears at the end of games.
Though Bohs have lost seven of their 16 matches, they've won nine, more than anyone. Shels have won just five.
Reflecting on a quite remarkable spell since losing 1-0 to Shels at Tolka Park on 11 April, Reynolds said: "It’s an interesting one. We could beat anyone and we could be beaten by anyone, that’s what I see. We’re not in a position we’ve been in.
"We’ve come from behind in however many games it is, so it’s edgy and they’re down to nine men.
"Are we pleased with that? No. But we were pleased with a lot of stuff.
"I thought the first half was cagey, really cagey. Rossi (Ross Tierney) had a great chance cleared off the line at 0-0.
"Then the penalty changes it, I suppose. We scored that, we’d a mistake and Mipo (Odubeko) nearly scores for them.
"I thought second half, we were really comfortable, bar a couple on the counter attacks.
"We could have been more clinical. Then they had another one sent off and we panic a little bit.
"We haven’t been winning like that," added Reynolds in referencing the fact their five previous wins had come courtesy of very late goals.
"To be honest, it's not good enough. But we spoke about it and we’ll speak about it again."
But you can’t argue with the run of results Bohemians are on?
"That's it. You know yourself. It's all about getting your three points and we look back and reflect on it from Monday and what needs to be better."
As for Rooney, his performance reflected Bohs’ season to date with a renaissance in belief throughout the team.
Reynolds said: "Dayle Rooney, he's turned his bad balls into good balls.
"If you see the penalty he gets, he works extremely hard.
"He is one that dipped a little bit in form when we were struggling. And he's worked his way back. He grafts every day and comes in. A good talent. Lovely left foot. Chips in with a goal. And he’s always a danger on the last line. But just a good, solid player."
Acknowledging Rooney’s impressive return to form, Reynolds says that’s perhaps true of his whole squad.
"Yes, he would be," said Reynolds on Rooney being a so-called ‘confidence player’. "But I'd say all of them are. I'd say they're all like that.
"They're all getting a bit more confidence now. So if you're not getting it (when) you're winning games like that, you're never going to get it."
