Gypsies Take Clean Sheet Win At Rain Soaked Dalymount Park

Bohemians 1 (Brennan 65)

TNS 0

Bohemians began their Champions League qualifying journey with a home victory against another Welsh side, TNS New Saints Welsh Premier League Champions . The last time Bohs played a Welsh team was back in 2008 against Ryhl whom the Gypsies quite comprehensively beat on the two legs. Both sides knew they had a mighty challenge ahead of them as the sky opened and the rain started pouring 10 minutes before kick off  and no, it didnt stop!

It were the Saints wearing the green and white hoops, two words not too popular in this ground who started the game well and were a great match for bohs in every part of the game. It took 8 minutes for the first shot on goal and it was very close too.  Number 99, yes your reading it right, Matthew Berkeley racing down the pitch but his shot saved by Barry Murphy and 5 seconds later the linesman Mr. Norbertus Josephus, C. Simons, flagged for offside against Berkeley.

Bohs to their credit had good possession and had some great chances of their own and once again it would be the on form Paddy Madden on the end of every attack and looked like a player high on confidence. Five minutes from the break was where his best opportunity came, he and Raffaele Cretaro worked well together, Cretaro putting madden into the area and his shot fingertip ed away by the goal keeper.

In the conditions it was very difficult for either team to make a breakthrough and the half ended scoreless but you couldn’t take the effort that the players were making to play some decent football with the rain belting down over Phibsbrough.

The second half started a little better and the rain took a bit of a break too. First chance of the half came almost straight away and as it was not the type of day for a 99,  Matthew Berkeley was playing a stormer and almost had the visitors in front with his shot but Barry Murphy in the Bohemians goal was well alert to the danger and produced a fine save.

Just like in the first half Paddy Madden was on the end of every attacking chance for bohs and had 2 excellent chances but the direction wasnt working for him. On 55 and 56 Madden got on the end of 2 great passes in from Raffaele Cretaro, their paring was working so well this evening but the final touch was not at that stage Bohs should have been atleast 1-0 up.

Bohs hard work finally paid off on 66 minutes and just in time aswel as the rain poured down. Paddy Madden produced a spectacular pass to Killian Brennan who was totally unmarked as he came out of nowhere and he headed the ball in the net to send Dalymount Parks famous Bohemians fans into a frenzy 1-0 and it was well deserved too.

With this busy week for Bohemians Pat Fenlon will have wanted as many fit bodies available for Fridays crucial game with Sligo Rovers, which is why he removed Raffaele Cretaro on 75 minutes to bring on Jason Byrne playing his first game since well before the mid season break due to injury. Raff went off to a thunderous cheer from these Bohs fans.

Bohs were clearly the better team of the second half and with 7 minutes to go they should have been 2 up after Madden produced a fine cross to Mark Quigley who got his shot just about over the bar, should have been a goal the keeper had slipped as Quigley dummy kicked it the first time but perhaps should have given it a go first time.

Right on 90 minutes it was another case of the shudda’s as Paddy Madden with an open goal infront of him lobbed over the bar, although he was by far man of the match his final touch just wasnt going to get a goal in this home leg and he probably even knew that himself as on the 92rd minute gave up on a chance infront of goal and let the referee Mr Hendrikus S.H Bas, Niijhuis blow the final whistle. A great brave win for Pat Fenlons side who travel to Wales with a clean sheet, well deserved although the visitors did provide great oposition.

Bohemians: B Murphy(GK), O Heary(C), C Powell, K Oman, P Keegan, R Cretaro, K Brennan, P Madden, B Shelley, M Quigley, R Higgins SUBS; M Rossiter, J Mc Guinness, J Byrne, G Cronin, C O’Connor, G Burke, L Dixon

TNS: P Harrison(GK), D Holmes,C Marriott, P Baker, S Evans, S Ruscoe, B Hogan, C Sharp, M Williams, C Jones, M Berkeley, SUBS; S Williams, T Holmes, C Seargeant, J McKenna, J Wood, A Darlington, A Edwards

Referee: Hendrikus S.H Bas, Niijhuis

Attendance 2,500

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.