On a night when the League of Ireland crowds reached a 33-year high with over 10,000 fans heading to Tallaght Stadium for a Dublin Derby, Shamrock Rovers delivered a classic performance befitting the occasion.
While some may not have seen Shamrock Rovers masterclass coming, afterwards, manager Stephen Bradley was completely unsurprised, claiming Bohs chances were only the result of his side's mistakes.
Bohs, under the newly-appointed Alan Reynolds, came flying out of the blocks and made a more significant impression. But as Rovers grew into the game, the half-time whistle came like a godsend for the Northsiders with both teams heading down the tunnel with nothing to show for their efforts.
The second half however, was anything but a deadlock with Shamrock Rovers threatening from the outset. It was Johnny Kenny who broke the deadlock first when he converted a stray Rovers shot with ease.
48 mins: Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Bohemians
Johnny Kenny gives the hosts the lead shortly after half-time after Dylan Watt's wild shot flies winds up at his feet
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📱 Live updates 👉https://t.co/3xQcAwYzea pic.twitter.com/pzfgrj1IYY— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 29, 2024
For Bohemians, when it rains it pours. Once Kenny found the net Rovers, found their groove, converting for the second time just four minutes later when a culmination of great ball work and subpar defending saw Darragh Burns stick one in the bottom corner.
From then on out, it was a frankly one-sided game. Rovers scored again thanks to a 73rd-minute goal from Aaron Greene making it 3-0 While Bohemians claimed one back in injury time with a Declan McDaid goal, it came against the grain of play with Bohs spending much of the second half seeing off onslaught after onslaught.
52 mins: Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Bohemians
Dream start to the second half for the champions, Darragh Burns doubling their lead
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📱 Live updates 👉https://t.co/3xQcAwYzea pic.twitter.com/3lKH0XOcZK— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 29, 2024
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Stephen Bradley unsurprised by victory
While Shamrock Rover's hammering of Bohemians may have come as a surprise to the rest of us, it was never in doubt for manager Stephen Bradley, who thought all Boh's opportunities were a result of his own sides sloppiness and that the three goals were inevitable.
Everything we were doing in the first half we were off. Our passing was slow it was sloppy....they were leaving big spaces and we weren't hurting them.
I know first half wasn't us anything Bohs did in the first half came off the back of us being sloppy... second half they were outstanding.
I've been saying our performances have just been getting there, the three goals that we got tonight I think that's been coming for a number of weeks to be honest.
Bradley was not thrilled to give one goal back, however.
Yeah we're really annoyed, its a really sloppy goal from our point of view, we shouldn't give up clean sheets like that. Leon he's only young but he has to learn from that.
'In the first half, we were off it... we had a look at it at half-time and felt if we penetrated when the spaces were there, we could hurt them'
Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley gives his verdict on their 3-1 win over Bohemians #rtesoccer #LOI pic.twitter.com/5MXVeLMJ9o— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 29, 2024
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