Rovers newboy Lee Feeney spotted a window of opportunity after a heavy touch from Thomas Heary outside his own penalty area, and bravely struck a left-foot shot past Matt Gregg in the home goal to grab a point for his new club.
Heary was injured in attempting to block the effort, and was carried off to be replaced by under-21 defender Kevin Cronin.
It was an eventful night for the Gypsies’ central defenders, as Jimmy Aggrey, the big Englishman who came to Bohs via Chelsea, Fulham, Yeovil Town and Welsh side TNS, had been at the centre of the first half drama.
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Aggrey could well have given away an early penalty when leaning on Rovers defender Jason McGuinness inside the area, but he got the better of the same opponent at the other end of the field to fire the opener after 22 minutes.
Substitute James Keddy sent a free kick into the area, and Aggrey held off McGuinness to send a right-footed finish to Russell Payne’s net and make a quick foray into the hearts of the Bohs faithful.
On his return to Dalymount Park, Rovers boss Roddy Collins selected a side which included five new faces – former Irish under-21 defender Jason Gavin at the back, Will McDonagh, Cathal O’Connor and Northern Irish youngster Pat McCourt in midfield and Scottish striker Martin Cameron alongside Trevor Molloy in attack.
Bohs, on the other hand, gave a debut to Aggrey alone in the starting line-up, with Mark O’Brien, signed from Rovers in the close-season, introduced as a late substitute to a crescendo of jeers from the Hoops supporters.
Immediately Rovers had the chance to level, but captain Molloy scuffed his shot after good work down the right flank from Cameron.
Will McDonagh forced a low save from Gregg from a long-range free kick moments later as Rovers continued to press, but Bohs were playing some excellent one-touch football, and they came close to doubling their lead before the break.
Gareth Farrelly, the player-manager, fired a powerful left-footed drive goalwards, but Payne threw himself to his right to beat the ball away for a corner.
Bohs continued to enjoy the bulk of the possession after the break, but Rovers came within a whisker of leveling matters after 68 minutes.
A good dummy from Feeney freed Mark Rutherford, and the ex-Bohs star took the ball around the advancing Gregg and chipped goalwards, but Heary executed a stunning goalline clearance to keep Bohs ahead.
Rovers’ former Rochdale man McCourt looked lively on the ball throughout, showing the ability to regularly beat his opponent on the deck, despite the difficult conditions, but it was the effervescent Feeney who found the equalizer from Heary’s momentary lapse.
Bohemians: Gregg, Rice, Aggrey, Heary (Cronin, 87), Byrne, Harkin (O’Brien, 81), Hunt, Farrelly, Ward, Grant (Keddy, 19), Foley.
Shamrock Rovers: Payne, Gough, Gavin, McGuinness, Doyle, McCourt, McDonagh, O’Connor (Caffrey, 71), Rutherford, Molloy, Cameron (Feeney, 61).
Referee: I. Stokes (Dublin).
OTHER RESULTS:
| 19 March 2005 | ||
| Longford Town | 1 - 2 | Waterford |
| Finn Harps | 0 - 2 | Cork |
18 March 2005 | ||
| Bray | 2 - 1 | St Patricks |
| Drogheda Utd | 0 - 2 | Derry City |
| 16 March 2005 | ||
| Shelbourne | 1 - 1 | UCD |