Shamrock Rovers were the beneficiaries of some questionable refereeing to claim the spoils in the Dublin derby at Tallaght Stadium.
Graham Burke settled the game 14-minutes from time, squeezing a penalty past Bohemians keeper James Talbot after James Finnerty was adjudged to have fouled Danny Mandroiu.
Until that point, parity had been a fair reflection of the game, with both sides guilty of some glaring misses.
Rovers took the lead inside 5-minutes through Dylan Watts. The former Bohs winger was involved in the goal's inception, spreading the ball wide to Liam Scales as he made a route to the penalty area.
Scales' effort came off the upright, and Watts' rebound found the net.
5' Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Bohs- Dylan Watts breaks the deadlock early in Tallaght https://t.co/AvyDj6KWg1 #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/lzhFL4tTiC
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) April 23, 2021
Keith Long's side took a while to settle into the game, with Rovers often given much too much room through the middle.
But Bohs should have levelled when Liam Burt found himself one-on-one with Alan Mannus, but managed to curl the ball beyond the woodwork when scoring seemed the easier option.
Little by little, however Bohs grew into the game, and they were level on 20-minutes.
Some neat build-up play from Keith Ward, Burt, and Ali Coote led to the ex-Waterford man lofting a ball to the far post where, unmarked, Ross Tierney headed home.
20' Shamrock Rovers 1-1 Bohs - All square now in Tallaght after a very well worked equaliser from the visitors https://t.co/AvyDj6KWg1 #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/qL4emjMpno
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) April 23, 2021
Rovers should have gone in at the break 2-1 up, with Aaron Greene sending a shot wide of James Talbot's left-hand upright.
At the same end shortly after the break, Georgie Kelly had a gilt-edged chance to poke Gypsy noses in front but his shot drifted wide.
But the complexion of the game was forever altered 15-minutes from the end.
Rory Gaffney laid the ball off for the on-rushing Mandroiu, who threw himself to the ground following minimal contact with James Finnerty.
Not only did referee Paul McLaughlin deem it a foul, he gave the Bohs defender his marching orders as well.
Talbot got a hand to Burke's subsequent penalty, but not enough to keep it out and Rovers secured a 2-1 victory which extends their unbeaten top flight run to 29 games.
Penalty or no penalty? Richie Sadlier believes the Dublin derby's defining moment was harsh on Bohs #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/dnInXSQdNa
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) April 23, 2021
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