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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Paul O'Hehir

Derry beat Bohemians 3-2 in thrilling contest

NOTHING in life is certain but death, taxes and goals, goals, goals when Bohs and Derry City collide.

Particularly so here at Dalymount Park, having played host to the game of the season last year when the sides drew 3-3 in a thriller.

But as spirited as Bohs’ fightback was on this occasion, the Gypsies may just be getting a little sick of the sight of the Candystripes around these parts.

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Because this is the fourth time that Ruaidhri Higgins has denied them victory, after nabbing a third win here - to accompany the lone draw - since his appointment.

Previously, it was Cameron McJannett and, earlier this season, James Akintunde weighing in with late, late goals to win those games.

This time it was Bohs pressing for a dramatic equaliser after Dawson Devoy redeemed himself after an own goal to score a screamer with five minutes to play.

But there was no joy for the hosts in the end, as they counted the cost of more slack defending.

Indeed, their generosity in that respect has haunted them all year.

And the fact they handed Joe Thomson a lead goal against the run of play just rubs salt in that wound.

So too the manner in which Matt Smith was allowed to put the visitors back in front within a minute of Ali Coote’s excellent equaliser.

And really, it didn’t have to be that way as buoyant Bohs burst from the traps and laid siege to the Candystripes penalty box early and often.

They just lacked the cuteness and cunning required to make their chances count as
Devoy showed immediate intent.

His low drive in the opening minutes was only a yard or two off target and it had the visiting defence rattled.

Team-mates Promise Omochere and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe were only too willing to seize on that hesitancy with their all action approach.

Omochere’s powerful and purposeful runs when cutting off the left flank posed serious questions of the Derry rearguard.

And Junior chipped in with clever layoffs and intelligent reading of the game as the hosts chased the opening goal.

The pair almost provided it too but after linking up in the box, Omochere could only drill his shot at the legs of Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher.

His counterpart, Tadhg Ryan, made an excellent save at full stretch to keep out a Will Patching free-kick at the other end.

Derry were still second best in all departments at this point, but they were starting to wake from their slumber with breaks into enemy territory.

And they got their goal three minutes before the break - and won’t care that it came against the run of play.

Thomson was in splendid isolation when collecting out on the right, but so too was Gypsies keeper Ryan who had raced to the corner of his box.

Thomson spotted the opportunity and, from a tight angle, executed the clipped ball over Ryan’s head to perfection.

But the game exploded into life in the space of one minute around the hour.

Coote’s goal on the half-volley, after latching onto Caoimhin Porter’s defensive clearance, was superbly executed.

But from the restart, Porter clipped a cross into the box from the right and Smith ghosted in unmarked at the back post to hammer home.

And Bohs weren’t done with the comical defending.

With 15 minutes to go, Patching’s floated free kick was causing trouble in Gypsies ranks before Devoy turned it into his own net.

But he redeemed himself - and how.

He unleashed an unstoppable rocket from 25-yards from a Jamie Mullins ball to give renewed hope to the Gypsies faithful.

But it was soon snuffed out by the sound of the final whistle after four minutes of injury-time.

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