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Contentious penalty decides Dublin Derby as Shamrock Rovers edge Bohemians

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Graham Burke celebrates after scoring a penalty against Bohemians. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Expand

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Graham Burke celebrates after scoring a penalty against Bohemians. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Graham Burke celebrates after scoring a penalty against Bohemians. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Graham Burke celebrates after scoring a penalty against Bohemians. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Aidan Fitzmaurice

Shamrock Rovers didn't need one of their late, late shows to see off their big Dublin rival as one-time Bohemians hero Danny Mandroiu played a key role in his first taste of life on the other side of the city's divide.

In their previous two games Rovers had scored in injury time to earn a win but the key moment in an absorbing 2-1 win came 15 minutes from time, when a controversial decision went Mandroiu's way, with Bohs losing a man and conceding a penalty for a foul on the attacker, which Graham Burke converted.

The Bohs camp will spend the weekend arguing that it was no penalty, with the win keeping up Rovers' recent good record against their rivals, but the three points also sees them stay level at the top with St Patrick's Athletic, who had gone clear hours earlier thanks to their win over Finn Harps.

A slippy surface, arising from a pre-match soaking of the pitch, made it difficult for some players to stay upright but while previous derbies have been tense, even dull, affairs, this was a superb game of football, deserving of the live TV coverage.

Rovers had already threatened, through Graham Burke, when Watts put them in front after only five minutes. It was a move started by Watts in the middle of the park. He found Liam Scales, whose cross was met by Aaron Greene and when Greene's effort came off the woodwork, Watts was unmarked in the box and able to score his second of the season.

Rovers were so dominant that this looked like it could be a punishing night for the away side, and when Liam Burt failed to hit the target on 13 minutes, after a fine move involving Georgie Kelly, it looked like this was not going to be their night.

But Bohs drew level on 20 minutes. A well-worked goal was teed up by a clever backheel from Burt, Ali Coote was calm in possession as he timed his cross and Ross Tierney was able to head home.

For the rest of the half it was frenetic and entertaining stuff. In a rapid spell, Rovers were denied three times, James Talbot saving from a shot by former team-mate Mandroiu, while Rob Cornwall put his body on the line to deny Burke and then on 29 minutes, Burke was the one frustrated by Talbot.

Bohs were still in the game, though, and on 31 minutes Georgie Kelly forced a save from Alan Mannus, though soon Rovers would rue a miss by Aaron Greene, who sent his shot wide when he was in a one-on-one situation with Talbot, after good work by Chris McCann.

Georgie Kelly changed his boots at half time due to the greasy nature of the surface but the switch didn't bring the luck he needed. Kelly was wide with a shot on 66 minutes when he was set up by the impressive Tierney, while a headed effort three minutes later was also off target.

The away side were comfortable until the game turned on 75 minutes. Ref Paul McLaughlin spotted a foul when Mandroiu went down in the box as he was challenged by James Finnerty, and the result was a red card for Finnerty and a penalty which Burke converted.

Burke tested Talbot again minutes later and while Bohs had some fight in them, their ten men had no way back into the game and Bohs now look to Friday's test with struggling Derry City to lift their season.

ROVERS - Mannus; Hoare, Lopes, Grace; Gannon (Finn 57), McCann (Gaffney 71), Watts (O'Neill 64), Scales; Mandroiu, Burke; Greene.

BOHS - Talbot; Lyons, Finnerty, Cornwall, Wilson; Coote (Levingston 80), Buckley; Ward (C Kelly 77), Tierney, Burt; G Kelly.

REF - Paul McLaughlin

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