Tempers flare as Shamrock Rovers sucker-punch Bohs to take control of title race

LOI Premier Division Shamrock Rovers 2 - 1 Bohemians With 15 minutes remaining at Tallaght Stadium, anxiety was creeping into the Shamrock Rovers supporter ranks as Bohemians sensed a door was opening. High on the exhilaration of a Ross Tierney equaliser that was fully deserved on the balance of play, it was the away side that seemed to have the momentum to press for a winner that would put them top of the League of Ireland table with three matches remaining. Just as they looked to be gaining control, they lost it in a moment. Under absolutely no pressure, their goalkeeper Paul Walters scuffed a simple ball out of play as the away side looked to keep play moving. The majority of the 10,208 attendance, a competitive record for the venue, were buoyed by the opportunity to take a breather and flip the pressure. What followed exceeded their expectations and destroyed Bohemians' ambitions. A routine throw-in wasn't defended properly and it allowed Dylan Watts to slip free to the far post and score. Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley celebrates after his side's derby win over Bohemians © Tyler Miller/Sportsfile That was the ball game and the main story of the match, although the scrap that followed the full-time whistle, involving players and staff from both sides, could dominate the aftermath. Unused Rovers sub Michael Noonan was at the centre of it, the celebrations of the Nottingham Forest-bound striker drawing an angry response with the league authorities sure to be busy studying the videos as hands were raised by more than one protagonist in the melee. For Bohs, it was a miserable end to a nightmare weekend, Friday's cup semi-final elimination followed by another tale of what ifs and if onlys. You must enable social media cookies to see this content. You can change your cookie settings under the link below. Change settings In a way, the outcome reflected what could well be the story of the season. This hasn't been Shamrock Rovers' best year under Stephen Bradley, but they've been better than their title rivals in the big moments. They've won all four derbies at Tallaght against Bohs and St Patrick's Athletic and taken 18 points from 24 overall in the head-to-heads. Mental strength has prevailed when they have fallen below their best in other departments. Bohs came here needing a victory to take control of their destiny. A draw would keep the dream alive, but only just. The visitors started with urgency that reflected the situation, seeking to put pressure on the hosts in their own half, the away crowd enjoying the passages where Rovers players clipped the ball out of play. Ross Tierney reacts after scoring his side's equalising goal against Shamrock Rovers © Tyler Miller/Sportsfile Daniel Cleary went into the book early but the Hoops back three regrouped with a galvanised Pico Lopes dominating Colm Whelan, which meant that Bohs couldn't really do anything with their possession. There were complications that stiffened their task. Left full-back Senan Mullen missed out through injury with Jordan Flores redeployed from midfield but when his replacement there Adam McDonnell limped off, Alan Reynolds had to turn to Ryan Burke, Mullen's deputy who hasn't been on the pitch since June. It wasn't an ideal game to be chucked into. At times, Rovers were happy to allow Bohs to spread the play in his direction, confident they could deal with any of his deliveries. Going the other way, Graham Burke was happy to drift towards his namesake's side. More pertinently, Bohs began to look vulnerable on the counter with Rovers happy to soak it up and then ask questions of Patrick Hickey and the returning Sam Todd. They created an outstanding chance to go ahead when Burke and John McGovern combined with the latter slotting wide of the goal when it appeared easier to score. He quickly atoned for his error in a different situation that required predatory instincts with Burke swivelling in the area and lofting an inviting ball into the six-yard box that was converted by McGovern with a header under pressure from Darragh Power. Reynolds certainly needed the interval to regroup with fatigue creeping into their decision-making before the recess. Regular Position Team P G W D L GD 1 Shamrock Rovers 65 33 19 8 6 +21 2 St. Patrick's Athletic 59 32 17 8 7 +27 3 Bohemians 59 33 17 8 8 +18 4 Shelbourne 43 33 10 13 10 +1 5 Derry City 41 32 9 14 9 +3 6 Dundalk 41 33 10 11 12 -5 7 Galway United 38 32 9 11 12 -6 8 Waterford 34 32 7 13 12 -10 9 Drogheda United 34 33 8 10 15 -15 10 Sligo Rovers 23 33 5 8 20 -34 From the restart, though, it was the Hoops that suddenly began to look low on petrol with Bohs moving the ball quicker, looking to switch play wherever possible and move Rovers out of shape. They made headway, winning a pair of frees in dangerous territory and forcing a series of corners but Rovers remained efficient in terms of defending the box. Reynolds sprung Douglas James-Taylor for the subdued Whelan in a double sub that also brought newly capped Latvia international Markus Strods into the fray. It yielded joy when James-Taylor responded quicker to a deflected shot, allowing Tierney to steer home a right-footer. The body language of the celebrations showed that it mattered little without another. Instead, a fatal lapse drained the optimism. Bohs laid siege in search of another equaliser, but it was powered by desperation created by the knowledge that all their aspirations were slipping away. The sum total is Rovers taking a six-point lead that pushes them towards a sixth title in seven seasons.