Soccer

Danny Mullen’s late strike keeps Derry City hot on Shelbourne’s heels

Round-up: Bohemians poor run continues; St Patrick’s Athletic secure late winner as Shamrock Rovers fall 12 points off pace

Derry City’s Danny Mullen celebrates scoring his side’s late winner during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against Bohemians at Dalymount Park. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inph
Derry City’s Danny Mullen celebrates scoring his side’s late winner during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against Bohemians at Dalymount Park. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inph
Paul Buttner at Dalymount Park
Thu Jun 13 2024 - 22:25
Premier Division: Bohemians 1 Derry City 2

Danny Mullen proved Derry City’s super sub with a glorious last-gasp winner to sink Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

Though they left it very late to get it, the result was fully deserved by Derry who remain two points behind leaders Shelbourne, and 10 ahead of champions Shamrock Rovers, going into the summer break.

Bohemians’ poor run thus continues as they’ve now won just once in their last eight games.

With the clock into the fourth and final minute of added time, fellow sub Cameron McJannet headed goalkeeper Brian Maher’s long free-kick into the path of Mullen.

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The striker took a controlling touch with his right foot to volley superbly past Kacper Chorazka with his left.

With experienced recent signing Jake Carroll in for his debut in the centre of defence, Bohs started positively, enjoying a good deal of possession early on.

But it was in-form Derry, beaten just once in their previous 11 games, who had the first sight of goal on eight minutes.

A sweeping move on the counterattack saw Adam O’Reilly surge forward through to feed Cameron Dummigan on the overlap.

The right back’s arced cross appeared to confuse Chorazka who hesitated in coming to collect. Micky Duffy arrived at the far post to see his header come back off the upright.

Having survived that let off, Bohs struck for the lead on 15 minutes as they punished sloppy defending to win a penalty.

Sadou Diallo was slow to react to Ben Doherty’s pass, resulting in his tripping Dayle Rooney who cleverly got across him.

And though Brian Maher parried Gypsies’ skipper Jordan Flores’s spot-kick, his third penalty save of the season, Danny Grant was first to the loose ball to rifle it low to the net.

[ Premier Division table ]

Poor defending at the other end had Derry level within two minutes in a frantic period of play.

Jevon Mills failed to clear Paul McMullan’s low cross which ran for Candystripes skipper Patrick Hoban. Chorazka redeemed his earlier hiccup with a terrific save to deflect Hoban’s shot over the crossbar.

McMullan played the resulting corner short to Will Patching whose cross was beautifully turned home by midfielder Diallo.

The Bohs goal then led a charmed life in the following minutes, Chorazka first tipping Dummigan’s cross on to the bar and over.

Again from another short corner, Patching’s delivery sailed over the Polish goalkeeper to come back off the far post.

Chorazka continued to be by far the busier stopper, getting down well to turn a 33rd-minute free-kick round a post from the influential Patching as Derry dominated.

That said, a defensive error at the other end should have seen Bohs regain the lead five minutes before the break.

Doherty’s pass to Mark Connolly fell short, gifting the ball to Rooney. Maher brilliantly salvaged the situation to close the angle and save the Bohs’ winger’s shot.

But it was Chorazka who was the first goalkeeper into action four minutes after the restart, saving at his left-hand post to again deny Hoban after Dummigan had skipped the striker through on goal.

Derry controlled much of the remainder of the action with Michael Miller clearing an 84th-minute Hoban header off the line before they got their reward with virtually the last kick of the game.

Elsewhere, Shelbourne stay top of the table after Will Jarvis’s 55th-minute goal gave them a 1-0 win at Waterford.

In a thrilling finish at Richmond Park, St Patrick’s Athletic came from behind to beat Shamrock Rovers 2-1.

Though Rovers led from John Kenny’s 32nd-minute strike, Ruairí Keating equalised midway through the second half before Brandon Kavanagh won it with a goal in the sixth minute of added time at the death.

Goals from Stephen Walsh, who scored twice, and Conor O’Keeffe gave Galway United a 3-0 win over Drogheda United.

Drogheda thus slip three points adrift at the foot of the table following Dundalk’s defeat of Sligo Rovers at Oriel Park courtesy of a solitary goal from Daryl Horgan.

BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Miller, Mills, Carroll (Keita, 83), Kirk; McDonnell, Flores; Grant (Piszczek, 78), Clarke (Connolly, 70), Rooney; Akintunde.

DERRY CITY: Maher; Dummigan, Connolly, McEleney, Doherty (McJannet, 74); Diallo (Kelly, 74), O’Reilly; McMullan (Mullen, 83), Patching, Duffy; Hoban.

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).