League Report: Bohemians 2 - 0 Limerick

Bohemians beat Limerick 2-0 in the SSE Airtricity Premier League at Dalymount Park on Friday night. Goals either side of half time from Jason Byrne and Dave Mulchay gave the home side the three points.

It was a quiet opening to the game with Eoin Wearen having the first effort on goal in the ninth minute but his header from inside the area was not on target. 

In the 17^th minute Jason Byrne, who had an eventful first half, before going off at the interval, headed wide from a Karl Moore corner. Just a couple of minutes later, Dinny Corcoran made his way unoppossed into the Limerick area. He only had Barry Ryan to beat but the Limerick goalkeeper managed to divert the shot away for a corner.

Owen Heary's side had another chance midway through the first half. Dave Mulcahy headed the ball towards the edge of the Limerick penalty area. It reached Byrne who tried a first time volley,  which was inches wide of the post.

He had another chance ten minutes from half time. Jack Memery and Wearen played a one-two down the left before Memery's cross picked out the former Bray striker but his header was too high.

However Bohemians' number 10 was not to be denied in the 39^th minute. His strike partner Corcoran played him in. Byrne's first shot was saved by Ryan but the striker got to the rebound first and chipped it over the Limerick 'keeper to give the home side a deserved lead.

Limerick created their only real opportunity of the opening 45 minutes on the stroke of half time. Rory Gaffney won a header and picked out Ross Mann. Mann then played it back to Lee Lynch whose goalbound shot was blocked by Derek Pender.  Gaffney's follow up shot was bravely blocked by Roberto Lopes. 

After Wearen was booked for diving, Limerick had the first real opportuity of the second half. Mann broke free down the left and played a precise pass to Lynch who was free in the area. However the Limerick midfielder's goalbound shot was deflected for a corner.

It looked like Limerick had equalised in the 64^th minute. Ian Turner put in an excellent cross from the right. Gaffney flicked it goalwards but Pender was there to clear it off the line.

Somewhat against the run of play Bohemians doubled their lead in the 71^st minute and it was a fairly simple goal. Moore's corner from the right picked out Bohs captain Mulcahy unmarked at the back post whose  header made it's way into the corner of the net.

Limerick captain Shane Duggan had a couple of opprtunities later in the game. In the 79^th minute, he could only volley his shot from inside the area into the terrace behind the goal and just as the game entered injury time his effort from outside the area was deflected wide.

The win for Bohs means that they are now four points ahead of Limerick in the table. Both sides have four games left to play.

Bohemians: Dean Delany; Derek Pender, Aidan Price, Roberto Lopes, Jack Memery; Dave Mulchay (c), Eoin Wearen (Anto Murphy 79), Karl Moore (Adam Evans 90+1); Steven Beattie, Jason Byrne (Keith Buckley 46), Dinny Corcoran. 
Subs not used: Ryan McEvoy, Jake Hyland, Anto Murphy,  Stephen Best, Aaron Shanahan (gk).

Booked: Dave Mulcahy (25), Eoin Wearen (55).

Limerick FC: Barry Ryan; Patrick Nzuzi, Smuel Oji, Stephen Folan, Shane O' Connor; Prince Agyemang (Ian Turner 56), Shane Duggan (c); Shane Tracy, Lee Lynch; Ross Mann (Kieran Djilali 56), Rory Gaffney.
Subs not used: Shane Cusack (gk), Michael Leahy, Darragh Rainsford, Val Feeney, Colm Murphy.

Booked: Prince Agyemang (55), Patrick Nzuzi (66).

Referee: Anthony Buttimer.

Attendance: 774.

Extratime.ie man of the match: Roberto Lopes (Bohemians).