Bohemian FC v Derry City FC, League of Ireland Premier Division Round 30, Dalymount Park, Friday 12th September 2025, kick-off 7.45pm
With the international break thankfully behind us, Derry
City travel to face Bohemians in Dalymount Park’s current guise for the last
time before its renovation. Digging deep to come back from 2-0 to draw with St
Pat’s two weeks ago, City occupy third spot in the Premier Division with Bohs a
point ahead in second. As the race for Europe hots up, this is a huge tie in
the run-in with seven games to go.
Derry City:
As the Oasis gig hampered City’s crowd in their cup defeat
at home to Drogheda United four weeks ago, Fontaines DC and Kneecap’s concert
in Belfast had a similar effect to the Brandywell attendance for the home match
against St Pat’s last time out. I’m a guilty party in that myself I have to
say.
Starting the brighter of the two sides, City fashioned the
best of the chances in the first fifteen or so. Michael Duffy, Dipo Akinyemi
and Adam O’Reilly forced Joey Anang into fairly straightforward saves in the
first twenty five minutes but failed to convert any clearcut chances.
Just five minutes out from the break and the away side found
the opener. Adam O’Reilly, back in the starting eleven, was caught in
possession by Christ Forrester in the centre of the park. The veteran
midfielder played through Spurs bound star Mason Melia, who got the better of
Sam Todd and slid the ball into the bottom corner at the near post. A finish of
real quality as Melia’s million Euro transfer fee seems ever more justified.
One became two for the visitors on the 63rd
minute, when Melia and Forrester once again linked up after catching O’Reilly
in possession. It was the inverse of the first goal, as Melia put it on a plate
for Forrester to fire over Brian Maher and into the roof of the net. A goal and
an assist each for two of Stephen Kenny’s main men and it seemed that Pat’s
would be on their way to three points.
With people questioning the Derry team’s bottle and
commitment in the weeks leading up to the Pat’s game, Lynch’s side could have
collapsed to defeat in the Brandywell. As they did in Galway a week prior
though, the Candystripes fought for each other and would eventually come back
to grab a point from the game.
City’s first goal was a wonderful finish by centre back Alex
Bannon, who curled the ball into the top corner after Danny Mullen’s smart
back-heeled layoff. It was a second in red and white for the Burton Albion
loanee, and it had Derry back in the game.
Failing to settle with just the one, Bannon popped up
with another vital goal from a set-piece when he nodded Michael Duffy’s corner
past Joey Anang in the 85th minute to rescue a point.
With just seven games left of the campaign, Derry City’s
Alex Bannon inspired comeback has dented St Pat’s’ European hopes and,
crucially, kept Derry City in the top three going into the game away to
Bohemians. The Candystripes have a healthy four point buffer over Shels, Pats and
Drogheda United in the chasing pack as the latter lost to Shamrock Rovers last
time out. Bohemians’ 0-0 draw with Sligo Rovers leaves them one point ahead of
Derry, meaning an away victory in Dalymount would see City sitting in second with
six to go.
Tiernan Lynch’s side’s two goals against Pat’s keeps them in
second in terms of goals scored in the Premier Division with 40, behind only
leaders Shamrock Rovers with 48. The two conceded, though, puts City at sixth
in the table on account of goals against. That’ll be a worry for the City
coaches, who will want to keep a watertight ship at the back in the remaining
six weeks of the campaign. The two scored, whilst spirited and impressive, both
came from set pieces late in the game, with City failing to create anything of
note from open play. That makes for worrying reading when factoring that
Bohemians have the second best defence in the league, conceding just 26.
Michael Duffy’s assist for the equaliser was his eighth of
the season, putting him out on his own in the Premier Division’s assist chart. He’s
now gone above Jack Byrne, who recently departed Shamrock Rovers for the UAE,
and Sligo’s Will Fitzgerald. Talks of a new contract for City’s star has come
as welcomed news. Danny Mullen’s flicked assist for Bannon’s opener was his
ninth goal involvement of the season, meanwhile the aforementioned Scottish
centre back’s brace meant that he has scored three times in his seven games in
red and white, a much needed lifted after his recent red card in Tallaght.
Adam Frizzell made his first start for the club last time
out after joining in July but was taken off at half-time. That was a tactical
switch which earned the Candystripes a point, as Lynch reverted to his trusted
back five with the introduction of Alex Bannon. Still looking light on the
right flank, the City faithful will hope that Gavin Whyte regains form in the last
six weeks of the campaign.
Sean Patton has left for Reading after a successful trial
and, with Liam Boyce out for the season, Tiernan Lynch is left with only Dipo
Akinyemi and Danny Mullen up front. Mullen’s a player I’d like to see a lot
more of and is versatile across the front three, affecting the game off the
bench against St Pat’s. Ben Doherty is City's only suspended player this week.
Off the pitch, Derry City announced a new kit marking the 40th
anniversary of their first game in the League of Ireland, but one thing that
wasn’t officially announced was the departure of Head of Recruitment Michael
Mackin after just three months at the club. His stint has been interesting to
say the least. The Candystripes also found out that their application for a chunk
of the £36.2m stadia fund was entirely unsuccessful, as was Institute's. That's a conversation for another day...
Playing three of our four European rivals in the next three
games, this is the real crunch time for Derry City. A win at Bohemians would
have us in good stead, and with a fighting comeback against St Pat’s last time
out, there’s no reason why Tiernan Lynch’s men can’t fight to the wire and
claim a European spot come November. This one’s a potentially season defining
game for the Candystripes, and the first of a trio of crucial ties between now
and the end of the month.
Bohemians:
Alan Reynolds’ Bohemians host Derry City for the last time
in the ‘old’ Dalymount Park on Friday, with both sides fighting it out for
second place in the table. Bohs have had an up and down season, losing six and
winning four of their opening ten games. In fact, it wasn’t until the 22nd
game of the calendar that the Phibsborough side registered their first draw
when they clinched a 95th minute equaliser at home to Sligo Rovers.
That early season inconsistency almost cost former Derry
City assistant manager Reynolds his job, with many Bohs fans calling for his
head in the early months of the campaign. Sitting as low as seventh after
eleven games, Bohemians hit form in the spring and sprung up the table,
reaching the top three by mid-May and only dropping out of it once since. That
climb was the result of picking up nine wins from the twelve games following a
1-0 defeat away to Shelbourne on the 4th of April.
Despite winning just one of their last six games in league
and cup action, Bohemians still stand in good stead to be pushing for a
European spot for the remainder of the campaign. Sitting second, just one point
ahead of Derry City in third but nine behind Shamrock Rovers in first,
Bohemians will hope to rekindle some of their April/May form to consolidate
that second placed finish. Add into that the fact that Alan Reynolds and his
backroom staff have signed new contracts at the club and it becomes clear that the
Bohs hierarchy trust the project.
It'll be their home games at Dalymount Park which Bohs will aim to clinch maximum points from. With four of their last seven games being played at home, and Bohs sitting second in the table for home form, they’ll fancy their chances at giving their fans something to cheer about before the stadium is closed for renovations at the end of the season. They’ll be glad that only three of their final games are away, as Bohs find themselves fourth in the away form table. In contrast, Derry City are second in terms of away form – so this one should be entertaining.Q
The standout player in the Bohemians side this year has been
midfielder Dawson Devoy. The versatile 23 year old, who can operate across the
midfield but tends to sit a bit deeper and dictate play is one of the league’s
finest in his position. His movement and technique are akin to those of Patrick
McEleney, and with five goals and four assists in the league, is tied with
Dayle Rooney as his side’s most effective outlet. Rumoured to be the subject of
a bid from an unnamed Bundesliga 2 side, the upcoming friendly with giants
Schalke has only added fuel to that fire. Luckily for those of a Derry City
leaning, Devoy will miss Friday’s fixture through suspension.
Speaking of Dayle Rooney, he’s a quality attacker who has
been one of the league’s most impressive wingers for the past couple of years
now. His four league goals and five assists show his value to his side, whilst
his converted penalty at home to Derry City back in June won his side the game
after just two minutes. He opened the scoring in this fixture in March 2024 and
assisted Archie Meekison’s opener in a 1-1 draw in the Brandywell last October
too.
Former City striker Colm Whelan isn’t having a bad season
back in Dublin, scoring eight and assisting three in league and cup action this
year. Bohemians’ signing of Douglas James-Taylor from Walsall, after impressing
on loan at Drogheda United, was a real statement of intent. The English forward
has scored three times in six games for his side this year, alongside his
fourteen goal haul in domestic action with Drogheda United across the backend
of last season and first half of this. Derry City won’t forget it, but he
scored the winning goal in last year’s FAI Cup final too.
Ross Tierney and James Clarke are two midfielders having
impressive seasons in Phibsborough too, contributing to sixteen goals between
them this year. Tierney scored the equaliser in the Brandywell in July. Clarke is a former target of
Ruaidhrí Higgins at Derry City and went through a purple patch in June and July, scoring four and assisting two in five games. Included in that was a
brace against Galway United and goal and assists at home to Shamrock Rovers.
Bohemians have an experienced if not somewhat makeshift
backline. With Liam Smith recently departing for St Johnstone, midfielders
Jordan Flores and Niall Morahan have seen gametime at right back throughout the
campaign. Central defender Cian Byrne has returned to Bohs almost as a new
signing after impressing on-loan at Galway earlier this year, while Rob
Cornwall and Keith Buckly bring bags of experience in the defence. Kacper
Chorazka and James Talbotq aren’t bad goalkeeping options either, keeping eleven
clean sheets between them.
Round-up:
Now in mid-September, with the hectic summer period behind
us and only seven games remaining, every single point will mean that little bit
extra for the remaining six weeks of the campaign. With second hosting third as
Bohs welcome Derry on Friday night, it’ll be a game which will mean that little
bit more. Both sides have won just one of their last six in all competitions
and will hope to gain momentum in the final straight of the campaign.
With just a point separating the sides, and the bother at
the previous encounter in the Brandywell no-doubt adding an extra edge to the
game, this has the possibility to be a classic. There hasn’t been a goalless
encounter between these two since June 2023. In the nine games that have
followed, Derry City have four wins and Bohemians have two, with the other four
being draws.
With a win apiece and a draw in the three previous games
between City and Bohs this year, it’s hard to know how this will go. Both wins
were narrow 1-0s too, meaning that every action will count. We can only hope
that Michael Duffy has had his brace in the 2-0 FAI Cup semi-final win in
Dalymount last October on repeat for the past week.
Pól O’Hare – 10th September 2025
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