Bohemians 1 - 1 Dundee United

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This entertaining friendly between Bohemians and Dundee United ended 1-1 at Dalymount Park on a lovely Dublin summer evening. Dundee took the lead in a first half where they dominated but The Gypsies took control in the second half and equalised through Gary Burke in the 56th minute.

Bohs were cut open very early by the Scottish side when John Rankin was through on goal with an endless amount of time. However, his attempt to lob the Dundee trialist Pierre Mbelleck, in goal for Bohemians, drifted wide of the post. Dundee United did take the lead on nine minutes. Willo Flood, who began his career at Cherry Orchard in Dublin, whipped in the first corner of the game and it was met on the volley by a Tangerine shirt but Lee Dixon somehow bravely blocked the shot, hurting himself in the process. The ball came to Garry Kenneth in the box and the centre half fired home emphatically on the half volley to give the away side the lead.

Dundee were well on top in the first half and Bohemians only chances came from Aidan Downes who battled for every ball but the best he could manage was to win a few corners which the home side couldn’t utilise. Bohs were conceding far too many free kicks, particularly on the wings. However, every attempted cross by the away side was either comfortably gathered by or punched clear by Mbelleck.

In the second half, both sides traded long range efforts. Aidan Downes hitting two strong drives well over the crossbar and David Goodwillie having his sting shot plucked out of the sky by the Bohs keeper.

Bohs were growing into the game as the away side began to tire. Gary Burke replaced Stephen Traynor at half-time looking very lively and he pounced on a mistake in the Dundee defence to steal the ball. As substitute keeper Filip Mentel rushed out, Burke calmly lobbed the ball up over his head and it bounced into the net.

A multitude of substitutions in the final half an hour disrupted any sort of flow to the game but Christy Fagan came on for Bohs and made an impressive impact. In the 71st minute he drilled the ball across the face of goal but Burke couldn’t control it. A few minutes later the in-form striker won a free on the edge of the box and took it himself, rattling the crossbar with a fine strike.

On 80th minute there was uproar amongst the small home crowd after it seemed Fagan was tripped inside the area as he got on to a through ball but the referee ignored the shouts. Dundee fought back in the final ten minutes. Gary Mackay-Smith strode down the wings a few times but couldn’t muster an effective cross. Barry Douglas floated in a better cross but Dubliner Jon Daly didn’t connect.

Next up for Dundee United is a friendly away clash against Forfar Athletic on Saturday, whilst Bohemians will resume league duties this Friday away to Dundalk.

Bohemians:Pierre Mbelleck (GK); Mark O’Reilly, Liam Burns (Roberto Lopez h/t), Kevin Feely, Ollie Cahill; Lee Dixon (Shane Keely, 67), Robert Bayly (Keith Buckley, h/t), Stephen Traynor (Gary Burke, h/t), Steven Hurley (Eoin Fowler, 72), Killian Brennan (Christopher Forrester, 49); Aidan Downes (Christy Fagan, 58).
Subs not used:Barry Murphy (GK), Anto Flood.

Dundee United: Steven Banks (Filip Mentel, h/t); Sean Dillon, Scott Severin (Ross Smith, 64), Garry Kenneth (Barry Douglas, 72), Paul Dixon; Willo Flood (Gary Mackay-Smith, 76), Scott Robertson, John Rankin, Stuart Armstrong (Johnny Russell, 67); David Goodwillie, (Scott Allan, 76) Jon Daly.
Subs not used:Keith Watson, Dale Hilson.

Referee: David McKeon

Attendance: 455

extratime.ie Man of the Match: Aidan Downes, the striker worked constantly off the ball and even caught the eye of the Dundee manager.