Soccer

Late Kavanagh strike sends Bohemians into third

Derry City left to rue McEleney injury as Bohs leave the Brandywell with three points

Kealan Dillon is mobbed by his team mates after scoring Bohemians opener in their 2-1 win over Derry City at The Brandywell. Photograph: Inpho
Kealan Dillon is mobbed by his team mates after scoring Bohemians opener in their 2-1 win over Derry City at The Brandywell. Photograph: Inpho
Fri Apr 24 2015 - 22:40

Derry City 1 Bohemians 2

Derry City lost the services of their most creative player at the Brandywell on Friday night as Bohemians took full advantage to leave with three points.

Patrick McEleney, deployed as a lone striker, was stretchered off in the 68th minute having over-extended himself when attempting to control the ball.

And that incident, with the score level at 1-1, clearly affected the home side.

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That said, Derry had their chances to win this but they found Bohs goalkeeperDean Delaney in superb form during an exciting six minutes of added time.

Indeed, McEleney was the architect of the Derry goal in the 8th minute when his knock-down was steered home by Philip Lowry.

But Bohemians struck back in the 25th minute with a superb strike from Kealan Dillon.

The ball had been beaten out of the Derry defence following a corner and when Roberto Lopes chipped the ball into the path of the winger, Dillion’s volley screamed high into the net from the edge of the box.

The home side went close to re-taking the lead in the 41st minute when Barry McNamee sent Mark Timlin in but Lopes made a superb last ditch tackle inside the area.

At the other end, Derry keeper, Ger Doherty dived a full stretch to meet Dillion’s shot from 25 yards as the home defence failed to close him down.

Derry started the second half well but it was Bohemians who really should have moved into the lead in the 62nd minute.

Dillion sent in a cross from the right and well positioned at the back post, Griffin recklessly directed the ball wide from close range.

And the visitors took advantage with 12 minutes remaining when Kavanagh broke the left before Griffin side-footed the ball home to put Bohemians into the driving seat from close range.

Anto Murphy did well to head a Dean Jarvis effort clear of his goal while a superb Mark Timlin free crashed off the Bohs crossbar in the 87th minute.

Having denied Shane McEleney with superb save, Dean Delaney made sure of the win when he parried Cillian Morrison’s header wide of his goal during six minutes of added time.

Derry City: Doherty; Jarvis, McBride, S. McEleney, Barry; Timlin, McNamee, Lowry (Morrison, 78), Clucas, Houston (Curran, h/t); P. McEleney (Elding, 70)

Bohemians: Delaney; Pender, Prendergast, Murphy, Fitzgerald; Dillon, Buckley (Mulcahy, 63), Kelly (Moore, 85), Lopes, Kavanagh; Griffin (Byrne, 89).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).