Leinster Senior Cup Report: Bohemians 0 - 0 Shamrock Rovers (Rovers win 4-2 on penalties)

Shamrock Rovers came out the eventual winners on Friday night as extra time and penalties were required before a winner could be drawn between them and rivals Bohemians in this Leinster Senior Cup game, as the fourth Dublin Derby of the season finally ended in win for the Hoops.

Nothing could separate the sides at the end of ninety minutes in the October mist but neither side came up short of passion and mean-spirited aggression as yet another Dublin Derby this season ended with the side’s level.

Friday’s game was the pair’s fourth meeting of the 2015 season, with this Rovers’ first win over Bohs following two draws and the Gypsies 3-1 last time around at Dalymount.

A rapturous crowd of 1,394 packed the Jodi and Des Kelly Carpet Stands as the game’s first effort on goal came from Paddy Kavanagh following Keith Buckley’s move and pass, however the shot flew drastically over the intended target to get proceedings underway.

Rovers were the first side in the book as Stephen McPhail’s challenge on Ismahil Akinade on the halfway line was deemed worthy of a place in referee Simon Burgess’ book. Lorcan Fitzgerald swung in the resulting free kick dangerously as Craig Hyland’s miscued punch was almost punished.

Ismahil Akinade headed a high and dipping effort goal-bound but the strike was cleared by Hyland who recovered to see the ball away from danger.

Danny North brewed his poacher’s instincts after fifteen minutes as good exchanges between Gavin Brennan, James Doona and Stephen McPhail almost layed the ball on a plate for North but Roberto Lopes made up ground to provide a last ditch challenge to clear the danger where otherwise a tap in surely would have occurred.

The game picked up in the closing stages of the first half as a Bohemians onslaught of chances came and went without the end result of a goal on the scoreboard.

Dylan Hayes first found himself free in oceans of space along the right wing before the defender swung in an inviting cross that had Ishamhil Akinade's name printed all over it  -  only for Maxime Blanchard to provide a fine headed clearance to stop Akinade’s advances.

This after Damien Duff glided through the empty Bohemians midfield before laying off an ever so slightly overplayed ball through for Trevor Clark. Clark regained possession but his shot from an acute angle nipped the bar as it went through Dean Delany's hands and over the crossbar.

Rovers maintained the upper hand as the second half got underway. Bohemians, happy to sit back, were ultimately pegged back into their own half with Danny North instrumental to Rovers’ frequent attacks.

Gavin Brennan came close when he broke free of his marker to unleash a harsh strike that caused Dean Delany to spill the ball out for a Rovers corner when it so easily could have deflected in.

Ishamil Akinade brought the game’s closest opportunity to be when he rooted a routine long ball onto the ground expertly before hooking the ball around his marker only for the curling effort to wrap around the post when the pocket of Craig Hyland’s bottom corner was the intended target.

Keith Buckley then found Adam Evans free on the left wing with Evans providing a low cross that Ismahil Akinade met three yards out from goal, but only for the heroics of David Webster that saw the ball deflected over the bar Bohs would surely have capitalised and got the game’s winning goal.

The second half came to a close with a handful of Danny North chances on goal that balanced the chances not taken evenly between the sides as the second half came to a 0-0 end with extra time to come.

Extra time came and went with little of the few chances that came staking any sort of a claim that either side were unhappy for the game to go to a penalty shootout.

And so it did. Gavin Brennan stood up first and dispatched the ball well past Dean Delany. All other Rovers penalties were well converted from Danny North, Gareth McCaffrey, and Gary McCabe.

These, combined with Jason Byrne’s miss before Lorcan Fitzgerald’s conversion meant it came down to substitute Kealan Dillon to decide the game. His penalty was ultimately poor and sent an anti-climactic wave throughout Dalymount Park as Rovers fans rejoiced at the result - Rovers first win over Bohemians this season - booking their place in this season’s Leinster Senior Cup final.

Bohemians: Dean Delany, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Roberto Lopes, Dylan Hayes, Eoin Wearen, Karl Moore, Keith Buckley, Paddy Kavanagh, Robbie Creevy, Dave Mulcahy, Ismahil Akinade

Subs not used: Lee Steacy (gk),Anto Murphy, Dan Byrne, Aaron Ashe, Kealan Dillon, Adam Evans, Jason Byrne

Bookings: None

Sent off: None

Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland, David Webster, Maxine Blanchard, Jamie Wilson, Trevor Clarke, Damien Duff, James Doona, Gavin Brennan, Ryan Brennan, Stephen McPhail, Danny North

Subs not used: Michael Kelly (gk), Jamie Hamilton, Eoghan Morgan, Shane Hanney, Gary McCabe, Cian Kavanagh, Gareth McCaffrey,

Bookings: Stephen McPhail (10)

Sent off: None

Referee: Simon Burgess

Attendance: 1,394

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Maxime Blanchard (Shamrock Rovers)