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Gypsies down Drogs to reach third round

Friday 15th June 2007, 9:54 pm

Darren Mansaram, Bohemians.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Darren Mansaram struck five minutes into the second half for the only goal of the game as Bohemians advanced to the third round of the FAI Cup - at the expense of 2005 winners Drogheda United in United Park.

The result means that the Drogs now haven't won a game in the competition since the final of 2005. Bohs won't be bothered by that and will fancy their chances having dumped out one of the competition's favourites.

A poor first half had seen little in the way of action. Wayward shots from Mansaram and Owen Heary just after the midway point in the half proved the first real shots at goal in the game.

Glen Crowe might have caused the home side some problems had he connected cleanly with Heary's long through ball ten minutes before the break. Instead he barely connected with the ball as a frustrating half continued.

The Bohs goal had a scare in the dying minutes of the half as Kevin Hunt was forced to hack away as Shane Robinson played in a dangerous ball. Bohs keeper Brian Murphy finished the job as he punched away an elevated loose ball.

The second period started far better and Heary made a brave block at the far post to deny Robinson after Gavin Whelan's cross was allowed travel all the way across the area.

Bohs responded though with Dessie Byrne forcing a save with a low long range drive before John-Paul Kelly forced another good save from Miko Vilmunen after fluffing his initial attempt.

However, Bohs broke the deadlock in the 50th minute after Crowe chased a loose ball into the corner. The Bohs striker lofted in a cross and under pressure at the back post Mansaram turned the ball back and into the corner of the Drogs net.

Drogheda's response was far from instant and their injury woes do seem to be taking their toll. Eamon Zayed did well to break through the well organised Bohs defence inside the closing twenty minutes but his shot lacked direction and again the Bohs goal wasn't tested.

Crowe might have put the game beyond the home side with a quarter of an hour remaining but Vilmunen got down well to save as the striker fired away a shot after collecting Kelly's through ball.

The Bohs goal somehow survived a bizarre incident on 77 minutes when Robinson's cross almost crept in. His cross at first looked to be sailing over but dipped at the last moment, striking goalkeeper Murphy on the arm as it also clipped the bar. The loose spinning ball then took a wicked bounce off the turf before clipping the upright and was eventually scrambled clear by Heary.

There was little of note in the closing ten minutes as Bohs proved more than capable at shutting out the home side.

Drogheda United : Vilmunen, Lynch, Gray, Shelley, Gartland, Keegan (Bradley 62), Whelan (Ristila 73), Byrne, Robinson, Fitzpatrick (Keddy 65), Zayed.
Bohemians : Murphy, O Heary, Byrne, McGuinness, Burns, Hunt, Rice, Kelly (T Heary 90), Kingsberry (Rossiter 55), Mansaram, Crowe.