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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Bohemian FC v Shamrock Rovers, Airtricity League

Join us for minute-by-minute updates from tonight’s Dublin derby in Phibsboro.

There’s no Euro 2012 on, so there’s no excuse. We went minute-by-minute from Dalymount Park as Bohemians hosted Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers. And we had live score updates from the evening’s other games in the Premier and First Division.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on tonight’s games. E-mail niall@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Bohemians 4-0 Shamrock Rovers

Premier Division:

  • Bray Wanderers 0-3 Cork City
  • Derry City 0-3 Drogheda United
  • Dundalk 1-2 Sligo Rovers
  • St Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 Shelbourne

First Division:

  • Athlone Town 2-0 SD Galway
  • Limerick FC 2-0 Finn Harps
  • Mervue United 4-5 Longford Town
  • Wexford Youths 1-2 Waterford United

It’s a fine evening for football. Welcome to Dalymount Park, our home for the next few hours as Bohemians host Shamrock Rovers in what will hopefully be the latest dramatic chapter of a rivalry that really needs no introduction.

We’ll have minute-by-minute updates from here in Phibsboro as well as live score updates from the rest of the action in the Airtricity League Premier and First Divisions.

Kick-off here is at 7.45pm — in 20 minutes’ time — so let’s get this show on the road.

There are four other Premier Division games down for decision tonight as well as four in the First Division. Here’s what we’ve got lined up:

Premier Division:

  • Bray Wanderers v Cork City
  • Derry City v Drogheda United
  • Dundalk v Sligo Rovers
  • St Patrick’s Athletic v Shelbourne

First Division:

  • Athlone Town v SD Galway
  • Limerick FC v Finn Harps
  • Mervue United v Longford Town
  • Wexford Youths v Waterford United (8pm)

The teams are still out on the pitch in front of me, running through their final pre-match routines. They already know how they’ll line up and now you can too.

Aaron Callaghan has made a host of changes from the team which lost to St Pat’s last week — I think I count six in total, including the return of captain Owen Heary and Evan McMillan in defence. Andy McNulty starts in goal with Craig Sexton dropping to the bench.

Bohemians: Andy McNulty, Owen Heary (c), Evan McMillan, Kevin Feely, Luke Byrne, Keith Buckley, David Mulcahy, Ryan McEvoy, Keith Ward, Dwayne Wilson, Peter McMahon.

And here’s how Shamrock Rovers line out.

Shamrock Rovers: Oscar Jansson, Kerrea Gilbert, Ken Oman (c), Graham Gartland, Conor Powell, Gary McCabe, Conor McCormack, Ronan Finn, Billy Dennehy, Gary O’Neill, Gary Twigg.

If you missed it earlier, here’s a brief pre-match preview I penned earlier today:

BOHEMIANS SELDOM NEED additional motivation when old rivals Shamrock Rovers visit but after losing last week’s Dublin derby in injury-time to St Pat’s, the Gypsies will be doubly determined to recover the momentum they had before the mid-season break.

Goals from Gary Twigg and Billy Dennehy gave Rovers a 2-0 when the sides met in the league at the end of March, and Bohs boss Aaron Callaghan says his players won’t need any encouragement to rise to tonight’s occasion.

“I don’t change anything in relation to the training for a match like this,” Callaghan said, “but from the players’ perspective it is easier to get motivated for a game against Rovers. It might be a little harder against one of the so-called smaller teams.”

Rovers moved to within five points of league leaders Sligo with a laboured 3-2 win against 10-man Shelbourne last week and manager Stephen Kenny feels that they still have plenty more to offer.

“Our players have worked very hard during and since the break, and have been rewarded with two good wins for that hard work. But we want to push on, and now is the time for that.”

Previews for all the rest of tonight’s Premier Division fixtures are available here >

Five minutes until kick-off and we’re currently being treated to my favourite part of any trip to Dalymount. Oh yes, they’re playing the dance remix of Johnny Logan’s Eurovision classic “Hold Me Now”.

There’s a fine crowd here in Dalymount Park, particularly in the away end where Rovers have completely packed out the Des Kelly Carpet Stand. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a couple of well-covered green and white jerseys dotted around the main stand, to be honest.

A couple of minutes behind schedule but we’re up and running.

Bohs make their first meaningful foray into the Rovers half as Dwayne Wilson tries to beat Ken Oman down the left touchline. He does all the hard work to get past the defender but then gives the ball straight back to Conor McCormack.

Ronan Finn tries to pull down a long, raking pass and play in Gary Twigg. Kevin Feely is alive to the danger though and steps in to head back to the safety of McNulty’s hands.

Bray Wanderers 0-1 Cork City (Purcell, 5′)

Derry City 0-1 Drogheda United (G Brennan, 9′)

St Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 Shelbourne (Bolger, 9′)

GOAL! Bohemians 1-0 Shamrock Rovers (McMahon, 11′) The first real chance of the game and Bohs take the lead. It comes from a Rovers mistake as Graham Gartland is caught in possession by Dwayne Wilson. McMahon drifts free at the back post and the cross is perfect, allowing him to volley past Oscar Jansson. Dalymount erupts.

There was a small bit of crowd trouble as Bohemians took the lead there, with a shower of objects coming down from the stands as “fans” from both sides spill onto the pitch to goad each other. It takes the police a couple of minutes to get everything to settle down again as one gentleman is dragged away.

It’s all settled down here again at Dalymount. Neither side really creating much but there’s a definite hesitancy among the Rovers back four which Bohs could capitalise on.

Ryan McEvoy decides to try his luck from all of 30 yards out, and though he catches his shot well, Jansson is able to get his body behind it and saves comfortably.

Rovers threaten as Dennehy clips a free-kick towards the back post. Oman heads it back across goal but before any green shirt can challenge for it, Owen Heary has intervened to snuff out the danger.

Another hairy moment in the Rovers defence as nobody gets up to meet Keith Ward’s inswinging free. It misses Kevin Feely, its intended target, landing instead at Heary’s feet. The veteran’s composure deserts him at the crucial moment though and he swipes his shot over Jansson’s bar.

We’re just past the half-hour mark here. Despite having their share of possession, Rovers are struggling to really create any chances. A speculative 20-yarder from Billy Dennehy inside the first 10 minutes is still the best they’ve had.

Conor Powell tries to send a deep cross into a busy penalty area but he misjudges badly and sends it harmlessly over McNulty’s bar.

Rovers centre-half Graham Gartland picks up the first booking of the evening for a rather cynical body-check on Keith Ward. No attempt to play the ball at all.

Ward dusts himself off to swing in the free-kick. Evan McMillan rises highest, but still not high enough as the ball skims off the top of his head and behind for a goal kick.

Great work by Dwayne Wilson down the Rovers left. He sells Kerrea Gilbert a few dummies before sending over an inviting cross which Gartland half-clears. Ward sends it back in again but Mulcahy’s header goes to the right and wide.

Bray Wanderers 0-2 Cork City (Duggan, 34′)

Dundalk 1-0 Sligo Rovers

Glorious opportunity for Dwayne Wilson to double Bohs’ advantage. A superb ball from Keith Buckley finds him goal-side of his marker but he can’t hit the target under pressure. He really needed to do better there.

Ooof, that was very nearly Rovers’ equaliser as the clock ticks down towards half-time. The winger stands over a 25-yard free and cracks it off McNulty’s crossbar. Had that been an inch or two lower, I’m not sure if the keeper would’ve been able to keep it out.

Evan McMillan very nearly gifts Rovers a chance to draw level. His attempted back-pass to McNulty is woefully underhit. Fortunately for Bohs, the keeper is more alert than Gary McCabe and gets there in time to nick the ball off the striker’s toe.

We’re into the first of three minutes of injury time as Gary McCabe jinks his way into the Bohs’ area, shifting the ball past Luke Byrne to create a bit of space for himself. He doesn’t catch his shot though and it skids along the deck a yard wide.

HALF TIME: Bohemian 1-0 Shamrock Rovers

GOAL! Dundalk 1-1 Sligo Rovers (North, 43′)

It’s half-time in all five Premier Division games. Here’s how things look:

  • Bohemians 1-0 Shamrock Rovers
  • Bray Wanderers 0-2 Cork City
  • Derry City 0-1 Drogheda United
  • Dundalk 1-1 Sligo Rovers
  • St Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 Shelbourne

Some quick thoughts on that first half:

  • Rovers’ defence again looks very nervy and it’s no surprise that the Bohs goal came from a defensive mistake, Graham Gartland caught in possession by Dwayne Wilson.
  • Keith Ward has been outstanding in the Bohs midfield, breaking up play with some strong tackles, not shying away from 50/50s and generally distributing the ball well when in possession.
  • After an anonymous opening 35 minutes, Rovers did come into the game a bit in the last 10 minutes of the first half, partly due to Bohs’ easing off slightly when they don’t have the ball.
  • Gary McCabe has been the Hoops’ only real attacking threat in this first half but so far, it’s been a lot of well-intentioned effort with not much in the way of end product.

Second half: We’re back underway here in Dalymount. One change for Shamrock Rovers at the break — Stephen O’Donnell comes on to replace Kerrea Gilbert. He’ll slot into the centre of midfield alongside Finn and Conor McCormack shifts to right-full.

Derry 0-2 Drogheda United (G Brennan, 48′)

Dundalk 1-2 Sligo Rovers (North, 49′)

GOAL! Bohemians 2-0 Shamrock Rovers (McNulty, 51′) If anybody knows what the Shamrock Rovers defence is at, could they please explain it to me because I am lost. Not that the Bohs fans mind — Dalymount erupts as Peter McMahon gets his second of the game.

A blunder by Oscar Jansson leaves Rovers on the back foot, McBride slides the ball into the box, it goes through a forest of legs and McNulty is there to tap into an empty net.

RED CARD! (Stephen O’Donnell, 56′) It’s gone from bad to worse for Rovers. Stephen O’Donnell is only the pitch a matter of minutes and he’s shown a straight red card by Rob Rogers. It was only a clip of the heels but the referee adjudged O’Donnell to be the last man and he’s straight off down the tunnel.

Rovers make their second change — Chris Turner on for Gary O’Neill.

Derry City 0-3 Drogheda United (D O’Brien, 56′)

McNulty claims an inswinging Rovers free and all of a sudden, Bohs are on the break again. Keith Buckley zips down the right wing and times his pass perfectly, slipping it between two defenders into the path of Keith Ward but Jansson gets there first.

With just under 25 minutes remaining, Bohs make their first change. Karl Moore comes on to replace goalscorer Peter McMahon.

Moore wins his first individual battle with Gary McCabe, working the space for a shot but he can’t trouble Jansson from the edge of the box.

Bray Wanderers 0-3 Cork City (Sullivan, 65′)

Bohs make their second change and it’s captain Owen Heary whose number is up. Michael Barker comes on to replace him at right-full.

The home supporters have a message for Stephen Kenny: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.” And there’s a pocket of 50 or 60 Rovers fans in the away end who are more than happy to join in the chorus.

The pressure is mounting on the Rovers boss, there’s no two ways about it. A penny for his thoughts as he sits on the bench watching this toothless display from his side?

Gary McCabe seems perfectly aware that if Rovers are to have any way back into this game, it will have to come through him. He’s starting to force everything, taking on shots in positions with very little prospect of a return. Predictably, nothing is coming of them.

We’re into the last 10 minutes here in Dalymount. Ken Oman comes forward in search of a lifeline and he has one of Rovers’ better chances of the evening. His 20-yarder is palmed by Andy McNulty but fortunately for the keeper, there are three defenders in front of him to clear the danger.

Changes for both sides. Stephen Kenny makes one last (futile?) roll of the dice, withdrawing Conor McCormack and sending Aaron Greene on in his place.

For Bohemians, Dinny Corcoran comes on to replace Keith Buckley.

GOAL! Bohemians 3-0 Shamrock Rovers (Moore, 84′) There was never much hope of Rovers getting themselves back into this but it’s game over now — and if some Hoops fans have their way, game over for manager Stephen Kenny as well.

Dinny Corocoran breaks from inside his own half and despite the best efforts of both Graham Gartland and then Ronan Finn to stop him, he’s through one-on-one with Jansson. The Swede hauls him down as he takes the ball around him but fortunately for Bohs — and for Jansson, who would’ve been off — Karl Moore is there to roll it into the empty net.

GOAL! Bohemians 4-0 Shamrock Rovers (Moore, 87′) I’m not sure how many times you can go from bad to worse to even worse but that’s what’s happening to Shamrock Rovers. Karl Moore takes a angled pot shot from the left and it slips under Jansson’s hands and trickles into the net. Quite simply put, that is appalling keeping. Maybe Rovers would’ve been better off if he’d been sent off for that tackle on Corcoran…

Dalymount is absolutely hopping, the Bohs fans are ecstatic — they’ve waited a long time for this one and it’s sweet.

We’re into three minutes of stoppage time. A few of the Rovers fans have started to filter out. Bohs don’t want this to end.

FULL TIME: Bohemians 4-0 Shamrock Rovers

What a night to be a Bohs fan. Dalymount Park rises to acclaim its heroes and they deserve every last clap. Aaron Callaghan was right when he said his men needed no motivation for a game against Rovers; they were absolutely brilliant from the first whistle.

Rovers, on the other hand, were a shambles, though their case wasn’t helped by Stephen O’Donnell’s red card early in the second half. There’ll be a long and painful postmortem to follow for the champions.

Word in the Dalymount press box is that tonight is Bohs’ biggest win against Rovers in almost 60 years. A night to savour for those in red and black.

The full-times are in from the rest of the grounds:

Premier Division:

  • Bray Wanderers 0-3 Cork City
  • Derry City 0-3 Drogheda United
  • Dundalk 1-2 Sligo Rovers
  • St Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 Shelbourne

First Division:

  • Athlone Town 2-0 SD Galway
  • Limerick FC 2-0 Finn Harps
  • Mervue United 4-5 Longford Town

That’s all we’ve got for you from Dalymount. Thanks for reading.

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