League Report: Bohemians 2 - 0 Finn Harps

Bohemians get back to winning ways in Dalymount Park after only one win in their last seven home league games. 

Two second half goals from Jake Kelly and Ismail Akinade were enough to ensure The Gypsies took all three points against Finn Harps. 

A very quick pace to the early exchanges set the tone of the game with Stephen Best flying into a needless challenge on Sean Houston after just 30 seconds, in which the centre half received a booking.

Neither side really took control of the opening half although Bohemians probably edged the possession stats. After half chances for both sides through Ismahil Akinade and Ethan Boyle respectively, Harps created the first attempt to test a keeper.

After some good work down the right flank by Sean Houston, he laid the ball off to Tony McNamee and he unleashed a shot from 25 yards which stung the hands of Shane Supple. The ball rebounded kindly for Ruairi Keating but Supple did well to recover and block Keating’s effort to concede a corner. 

It took Bohemians just under half an hour to have their first good opportunity of the night. Roberto Lopes pinched the ball in the middle of the park and, with him driving towards the last defender, he over hit his pass to Paddy Kavanagh which allowed Richard Brush to come out and smother Kavanagh’s attempt on goal.

It wasn’t long after this Kavanagh had another sight of goal when the ball fell invitingly to him just outside the box, but he didn't connect to it as he would of liked to as he sliced his shot wide of the target. 

It was the away side who looked the more dangerous in the second half, in particular through their front man Ruairi Keating. Keating was causing trouble early; first after getting a yard of space on the left his weak shot failed to test Supple and then a header which he could only direct straight at the Bohs stopper. 

Bohemians struggled to break down a rigid Harps defence, it was yet again Keating with a chance when he latched on to a long ball before evading the challenge of Best only to find the angle to tight to score from as he struck straight at Supple. 

It was second half substitute Jake Kelly that broke the deadlock in his first real involvement since coming on at half time. Akinade played a brilliant ball across the box in between the defence and goalkeeper which Kelly tucked home from close range.

The goal seemed to really settle the home side and they finally took control of the game. Kelly nearly got his brace ten minutes from time when Wearen found him in acres of space down the left but his strike across goal got a nick to it and went out for a corner. 

The Donegal side couldn't muster up any real chances before the end of the game and Akinade secured all three points for Bohs when Kavanagh slid him through and he calmly slotted it passed the on rushing Brush. 

Keith Long will be pleased with the three points but the performance wasn't the most convincing as there was many aspects of the game which they can improve on. Also a worry for Long is the absence of James Kavanagh, although being named among the substitutes he was nowhere to be seen in the dugout.

Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Stephen Best, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Roberto Lopes, Ian Morris (Eoin Wearen 63’), Mark Quigley; Kurtis Byrne (Jake Kelly 46’), Paddy Kavanagh, Ismail Akinade (Marco Chindea 90’).

Subs Not Used: Dean Delany, Jason Caffery, Warren O’ Hora.

Booked: Stephen Best (1’)

Finn Harps: Richard Brush; Keith Cowan, Packie Mailey, Tommy McMonagle (David Scully 81’); Josh Mailey, Ethan Boyle (Ryan Curran 75’), Barry Molloy, Tony McNamee (Adam Hanlon 75’), Ciaran Coll; Sean Houston, Ruairi Keating.

Subs Not Used: Ciaran Gallagher, Michael Funston, Raymond Foy, Kevin McHugh.

Booked: None.

Referee: Sean Grant

Attendance: 1,015

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Paddy Kavanagh (Bohemians)

You can see Martin Doherty and Laszlo Geczo's photos from the game here.