Bohs new boys make their mark
Bohemians 2 Portadown 1
Bohemians might be grateful to even be playing senior football this season, but their new crop of players have already shown they could be a force to be reckoned with.
New arrivals Dinny Corcoran and Karl Moore settled this first-leg clash with two glorious strikes from distance.
In a performance that was occasionally -- and inevitably -- disjointed due to the fact seven players were making their debuts, Aaron Callaghan's side struggled to get the grips with Portadown early on.
After Keith Ward had gone close from long range, Corcoran produced the game's stand-out moment just before half-time with a sumptuous lob. To be fair to Moore, his effort ran it close. Just before the hour, he rifled a 25-yard shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.
By that point, Bohs looked to be gelling as Moore, Ward, Peter McMahon, Danny Joyce and Corcoran combined well.
Betraying the fact that this is such a new team, though, Bohs soon let Portadown back into the tie in the most elementary way imaginable.
A corner was sent over, no one picked up Kevin Braniff and the Portadown captain easily headed home. However, a still energetic Bohs stayed in control to close out the game.
Bohemians -- Sexton; Heary, McMillan, Feely, Byrne; Joyce (Wilson 71), Lopes, Ward (Traynor 78), Moore (Davidson 71); McMahon, Corcoran.
Portadown -- Miskelly; Burns, Breen, Clarke, Redman; Gartland, Mackle, McCafferty, Tomelty; Tipton (McCloskey 58), Braniff.
REF -- T Connolly (Dublin).
Irish Independent
