Oman 58
Bohemians have gone five points behind league leaders Shelbourne following a deserved win over the Drumcondra outfit at Dalymount Park tonight. The only goal of the game came short of the hour mark and from the most unlikely source – 21-year-old centre-half Ken Oman.
His 35-yard right-footed shot out of the blue arrowed and soared past goalkeeper Steve Williams, and into the top corner of the Shelbourne goal to earn Stephen Kenny’s side a decisive victory in terms of the destination of the league title, and their eighth win from their last ten Premier Division games.
Bohs’ reversal of last season’s 2-1 loss to Shelbourne at Dalymount Park looked doubtful early on as Shels midfielder Ollie Cahill had a rising shot tipped over by net minder Shay Kelly after just sixty seconds. Robbie Doyle hit a sweet shot on the turn wide of the visitors’ cross bar on nineteen minutes before Stuart Byrne should have put Pat Fenlon’s side in front four minutes later. U21 international Wesley Hoolahan slipped a through ball in for Byrne exposing the left side of Bohs’ defence, but the onrushing Byrne shot tamely wide.
His namesake striker Jason, goalscorer in Shelbourne’s last seven league games, was a disappointment for the away side and substituted midway through the second half, with veteran Stephen Geoghegan brought on to cause trouble.The last real chance before the opening half ended fell to the on-form Dave Morrison but the former Leyton Orient midfielder missed the target from twelve yards out. Morrison and striker Paul Keegan set up Glen Crowe, following Oman’s stirring opening goal on 58 minutes, but the side’s top scorer on 13 goals, miscued his shot with just Williams to beat.
Substitute Geoghegan transferred the ball to his left foot in space on 81 minutes and lobbed keeper Kelly but the Bohs’ keeper recovered to tip his dipping shot over. Shelbourne’s first loss since their June 12 reversal by two goals at the Brandywell, was completed with a ten-man shut out by Bohs in the final minutes. Watched by Irish boss Brian Kerr, both sides meet again in the next fortnight at Tolka Park.