Bohemians v Derry
City: Match Preview
Bohemian FC v. Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division, Round 6, Dalymount Park, Friday 15th March 2024, kick-off 7.45pm
Pat Hoban's hat-trick against Waterford ensured that Derry City's unbeaten start to the season extended as they prepare to face a Bohemians side who play their first game without Declan Devine at the helm since October 2022. A front-post flick, overhead kick and penalty trio saw City's number nine raise his goal tally to six for the campaign already, making him the
Division’s top scorer and meaning that he needs just two more goals to equal
Jordan McEneff’s league goal tally of eight to match last year’s record. Bohemians,
on the other hand, go into Friday’s fixture one Derry man down as Declan Devine's tenure came to an end following a 2-0 home defeat to
table-toppers Shelbourne. Derek Pender and Trevor Crolly will be in charge for Bohs, who look for their second win of the season.
Hoban’s hattrick on Friday was the first competitive hattrick scored by a Derry City player since Declan Glass netted three in the first half of his City debut against Oliver Bond Celtic back in the First Round of the FAI Cup in July 2022. It also means that City are now joint top scorers in the league and joint top in terms of goal-difference. There were doubts from some quarters surrounding the signing of Pat Hoban prior to the season starting, but he's showing exactly why the club forked out €30,000 for his services. His partnership with Michael Duffy is a throwback to their Dundalk days and it seems that both are bringing out the best in each other. Duffy’s started the season in fine form himself too, playing a role in two goals already this campaign.
Ruaidhrí Higgins and his players really deserve credit for
the manner in which they’ve started the season, especially when considering how
unfortunate their injury record has been. Sadou Diallo was injured in preseason whilst
Mark Connolly, Patrick McEleney, Cameron Dummigan, Will Patching, Michael Duffy
and Adam O’Reilly have all suffered knocks already. Dummigan and Patching are
still out, whilst Connolly, Duffy and O’Reilly all came off with injuries
against Waterford last weekend. As it stands, it seems like Jordan McEneff is
the only 100% fit midfielder. The City management staff will see it as a
mini-win if they come away from Dalymount without further injury woes.
Bohemians have been on the receiving end of some injuries to
key players themselves already too. Keith Buckley suffered an ACL tear just
before the FAI Cup final last November whilst January signing Rob Cornwall, who
rejoined the club after two years in America, came down with the same injury just
half an hour into the opening game of the campaign. Although back training with
the team, goalkeeper James Talbot has commendably taken some time away from football in order to focus on his mental health.
They may have left it late but the Gypsies did add in
numbers across the January transfer window. The sale of Jonathan Afolabi, who
scored fifteen league goals last season and received a senior Ireland call-up, for around €200,000 to Belgian side KV Kortrijk left a sizable gap in the forward line. He
has scored once in Belgium so far – equalising in a 3-3 draw away to Club Brugge. The
moves of John O’Sullivan and Dean Williams to Shelbourne, Kris Twardek to
Atletico Ottawa and Ali Coote to Detroit City left Bohemians light in
squad-depth at the top end of the pitch. The losses of Kacper Radkowski and
Krystian Nowak also left the Phibsborough side with a serious amount of
business to be done. Dayle Rooney, who impressed at Drogheda United last year,
was signed on a two-year contract to give options on the wing. Strikers Sten
Reinkort and Filip Piszczek were brought in from Flora Tallinn and FC Imabari
to replace Afolabi, whilst Kacper Chorazka signed from ASIL Lysi to provide
goalkeeping options. He has started every game this season, keeping a clean
sheet against St. Pat’s.
Bohemian’s raid on Flora Tallinn continued further as the club brought in Estonian internationals Martin Miller and Michael Lilander. Brian McManus was signed from Shelbourne whilst full-back Luke Matheson, who scored against Manchester United for Rochdale when he was just sixteen, was signed on loan from Bolton Wanderers. Jevon Mills and Aboubacar Keita were also captured on loan deals from Hull City and Colorado Rapids. The signing of highly rated centre back Divin Isamala from St. Francis capped Bohs’ transfer activity.
Derek Pender's men have only scored four all season,
three of which have come from midfielders James Clarke and Jordan Flores,
showing that it will take time for the club’s new signings to gel and replicate
Afolabi’s goalscoring prowess. Clarke, however, was one Bohs’ standout
performers last campaign, scoring five and assisting four from centre midfield.
He opened the scoring against Derry City down in Dalymount last August too. Sten
Reinkort bagged a debut goal against Sligo Rovers but hasn’t yet contributed to
another goal. Bohemians are rumoured to be courting former Ireland and Derry City manager Stephen Kenny to come in as manager on a permanent basis - a signing which would be a massive coup. The Dubliner won the Premier Division with the club back in 2003.
It was pretty much honour’s even in this fixture last year.
Both Derry City and Bohemians beat each other 1-0 away from home whilst drawing
0-0 and 2-2 in the other two fixtures. You’d have to go back to Derry’s 4-1 win
in Dalymount Park in February 2017 to find the last time that this fixture
ended with a deficit of more than two goals too. 3-3 and 2-2 draws in the last three seasons, alongside a 3-2 Derry City
win, shows that there is potential for fireworks in the tie though. A win for City on Friday would be their
fifth win in their last seven Phibsborough outings and would put the
Candystripes top if Shelbourne fail to beat St. Pat’s in Inchicore. Another
three points, or at least a continuation of their unbeaten run, would be ideal
going into the international break.
No comments:
Post a Comment