Daniel Kearns was denied a late penalty as Dundalk had to settle for a share of the spoils in an entertaining 0-0 draw against Bohemians at Oriel Park on Friday night. The exciting young Belfast-born winger, who put in another Man of the Match performance, inspired the Lilywhites late on and appeared to be fouled after a surging run into the box on 85 minutes. However, referee Damien Hancock ignored the appeals. The home side had the returning Peter Cherrie to thank for keeping them in the game as he brilliantly denied Mark Rossiter in the first half before somehow saving from Steven Trainor after the break.
Local bench
Without Greg Bolger, Ross Gaynor and Michael Hector absent through suspension, and Dean Bennett and Eoghan Osborne unavailable due to hamstring injuries, manager Ian Foster handed a league start to Stephen McDonnell for the first time in over six months. An inexperienced bench was made up of seven locals, including Youth team duo Gerard McSorley and Glen Trainor and Reserve team pair Philip Duffy and Stephen Hutchinson. In total, there were two changes to the team that lined out in the win over Galway United seven days earlier as Stephen Maher and McDonnell replaced Bennett and Gaynor. Bohemians, with former Dundalk captain Liam Burns in their lineup, started positively, and Cherrie, returning from suspension, pushed away an early Lee Dixon corner. At the other end, McDonnell picked out Maher who shot from range, Barry Murphy equal to the task.
Fagan chance
On ten minutes, Dundalk had another effort on goal when Kearns slipped in Mark Quigley on the right, and after taking a touch past a defender he shot into the side-netting from a tight angle. Both teams were lively and willing to attack in the opening quarter, but it was not until 24 minutes that the next chance arrived. A cross from Bohs captain Owen Heary on the right was onto the head of Chris Fagan in the six-yard box but he headed well over with the goal at his mercy. Just past the half-hour, Dundalk had two efforts on goal, the first a 25-yard shot from Quigley that Murphy saved with ease, before Byrne turned sharply outside the box but his attempt was wide of the ‘keeper’s bottom right-hand corner. On 35 minutes, Byrne miscued from ten-yards after being picked out in the box by Kearns’ cross. Shortly after, Bohemians won a free in a dangerous position in the full-back area, but Killian Brennan’s left-footed strike was straight into the arms of Cherrie.
Cherrie saves
On 40 minutes, the visitors had a glorious chance to take the lead. Ollie Cahill’s cross was well cut out by Shane Guthrie but the ball fell to Fagan, 12-yards from goal. However, after taking a touch he drilled his shot into a wall of Dundalk defenders. Close to the break and the Lilywhites had Cherrie to thank for keeping them on level terms. Rossiter’s cross from the right was dipping into the net but the Scottish star produced a magnificent reflex save. Dundalk started the second half positively, and Kearns did well to win a free-kick on the right, 25-yards from goal, with his resulting delivery met by Quigley who headed over under pressure from close range. On 52 minutes, Dundalk had Cherrie to thank again. Dixon played in Trainor, who turned Guthrie, but his low side-footed shot from close range was somehow pushed away by the 27-year-old. Past the hour mark, Bohs had chances. Firstly, Trainor’s shot was blocked wide by Guthrie before Nathan Murphy cleared off the line from the resulting corner.
Kearns denied
Rossiter then had two shots from range, the first blocked wide, the second sliced harmlessly wide of the target. On 66 minutes, Dundalk responded, with Simon Madden’s cross from the right to the back post finding Byrne whose header was gathered by Murphy. Moments later, at the other end, Flood shot from the edge of the box, into the arms of Cherrie. On 71 minutes, Kearns tried to inspire Dundalk and he almost broke the deadlock when, after a surging run, he cut inside the box and fired a fierce shot goalwards which Murphy did well to stop, the rebound and danger cleared. With a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, Bohs won a free-kick in a dangerous position, 25-yards from goal, and Brennan’s effort flashed just wide of Cherrie’s right-hand post. At the other end, Kearns fed substitute Johnny Breen who shot goalwards, Murphy again gathering. On 82 minutes, Kearns’ corner found Byrne whose shot was cleared off the line by Heary. With five minutes remaining, Kearns appeared to be fouled in the area after another surging run but the appeals were waved away.
Stat Attack: Prior to Friday night, the last 0-0 draw in the league with Bohemians at Oriel Park was, 22 meetings ago, on 4 October 1987. 57 goals in subsequent 22 encounters.
DUNDALK FC (4-2-3-1): Peter Cherrie; Simon Madden ©, Colin Hawkins, Shane Guthrie, Nathan Murphy; Stephen Maher, Keith Ward; Daniel Kearns, Mark Quigley, Stephen McDonnell (Johnny Breen 70); Jason Byrne.
Booked: S McDonnell (38), J Byrne (40), K Ward (76), C Hawkins (93).
Unused Subs: Paul Murphy (GK), Mark Griffin, Gerard McSorley, Philip Duffy, Glen Trainor, Stephen Hutchinson.
BOHEMIAN FC (4-2-3-1): Barry Murphy; Owen Heary ©, Liam Burns, Aiden Price, Ollie Cahill; Mark Rossiter, Killian Brennan; Anto Flood, Steven Trainor (Karl Somers 93), Lee Dixon (Daniel Joyce 75); Chris Fagan (Keith Buckley 85).
Booked: C Fagan (29), L Dixon (49), K Brennan (54), A Flood (93).
Unused Subs: Craig Sexton (GK), Gary Burke, Kevin Feely, Christopher Forrester.
Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).
Attendance: 2,200 (Est.).
