Bohs shade ten-goal thriller - January 29,
2001
Shamrock Rovers 4 Bohemians 6
On Friday night Shelbourne showed again that they are made of the stuff of champions - but yesterday Bohemians came back from the dead to prove that they are the genuine pretenders to the throne.
Shels stopped the rot - just one point from their previous two games - by beating in-from Bray Wanderers to open a twelve-point gap at the top of the table. And by half time at the Morton Stadium yesterday the title race looked done and dusted as Shamrock Rovers led Bohemians 4-1.
Bohemians had managed to disguise their own slump by picking up the odd point here and there, but now Rovers were on the verge of confirming what we all knew - that the Gypsies had shot their bolt.
It took Rovers just two minutes to open the scoring, Tony Grant firing home from close range from Billy Woods' corner. But Dave Hill equalised after 15 minutes, steering home Glen Crowe's cross, and there was still no hint of what was to come. But Patrick Deans was hauled down in the Bohs area and Sean Francis restored the Hoops lead from the spot. Just on the half four, Grant made it 3-1 and, with Bohemians looking punch-drunk, Brian Byrne scored a fourth just minutes before half time.
Gypsies manager Roddy Collins had no option but to go for broke, bringing in Trevor Molloy to play behind the front two and going to three at the back. Boy, did it pay off!
On the hour, Alex Nesovic pulled one back, turning to drive home Mark Rutherford's headed pass. On 71 minutes Dave Morrison made it 4-3 when he ran on to Dave Hill's clearance and beat Robbie Horgan one on one.
Hill was again the provider three minutes later as Glen Crowe ended his eight-game goal famine and, incredibly, the sides were level.
Now the momentum was all with the visitors as Rovers tried desperately to hold onto a point. Ten minutes from time, Mark Rutherford steered home a cross from man-of-the-match Dave Morrison - 5-4 to Bohs.
And in the final minute, Glen Crowe iced and decorated the cake with his second and Bohs' sixth.
Shamrock Rovers: Horgan, Smith, Palmer, Cronin, Woods, Robinson, Colwell, Deans, Byrne, Francis, Grant
Subs: Vaudequin for Deans 84, Kavanagh for Colwell 84
Goals: Grant 2, 31, Francis (pen) 26, Byrne 41
Booked: Horgan
Bohemians: Russell, O'Connor, Maher, Hill, Webb, Morrison, Hunt, Caffrey, Rutherford, Crowe, Nesovic
Subs: Molloy for Webb 54
Goals: Hill 16, Nesovic 62, Morrison 71, Crowe 74, 90, Rutherford 80
Booked: Maher, Hunt
Referee: J Feighery (Dublin)