Sligo Rovers were denied a third win in four games Friday night at Dalymount Park on as an injury time goal from Bohemians’ James Clarke rescued a point for the Gypsies after another stunning Owen Elding rocket had given the Bit O’Red the lead in the opening 45.
A draw was likely a fair result after a 90 minutes in which Bohs hit man-of-the-match Sam Sargeant’s woodwork, while the goalkeeper himself pulled off a string of world-class stops to deny the home side.
Alan Reynolds’ charges did create chances in the first half, but found themselves out of form in front of goal. Ross Tierney scuppered a few early opportunities, while Colm Whelan pulled a shot wide of Sargeant’s post shortly after.
The Rovers net minder kept an eye on an Adam McDonnell drive from the edge of the area to acrobatically push the ex-Sligo midfielder’s effort around his goal 20 minutes in, while Elding lit up Phibsboro with another awesome strike from distance seven minutes later.
35-yards out, the talented teen unleashed an unstoppable left footed drive, which didn’t give Bohs keeper Kacper Chorazka even the time to move or react as the ball arrowed into the top corner of the Bohs net.
It was mostly Bohs in the second period and another catalogue of fine saves from Sargeant kept a battling Rovers ahead.
The visitors ended this contest with a make-shift back four due to the withdrawal of Ollie Denham and Conor Reynolds and significant pressure from the Dubliners took its toll in injury time.
In the fifth of seven added minutes, referee Declan Toland seemed to award Rovers a goal-kick only to change his mind and give a corner from which Clarke scored.
Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Niall Morahan (Markuss Strods 85), Rob Cornwall (Leigh Kavanagh 90+1), Jordan Flores, John Mountney (Liam Smith h-t); Dawson Devoy; Dayle Rooney, Adam McDonnell (Keith Buckley h-t), James Clarke, Ross Tierney; Collie Whelan (Rhys Brennan 60).
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Kyle McDonagh, Ollie Denham (Matt Wolfe 61), Conor Reynolds (Stephen mallon 86), Reece Hutchison; Daire Patton (Oskar van Hattum 86), Jake Doyle-Hayes; Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki, Will Fitzgerald; Wilson Waweru (Francely Lomboto 67).
Referee: Declan Toland