Bohs book cup final spot with win over battling Galway

It was the class of Jonathan Afolabi that ultimately nullified a spirited performance from the home side. He raced clear after a routine ball down the channel in injury time of the first half. He made the byline with too much ease and drilled across Brendan Clarke to the onrushing Dylan Connolly who couldn’t miss.

The pace of the early exchanges hadn’t lived up to the frenzied atmosphere. Nonetheless, the home side shaded the possession and territory but Bohs came closest when Afolabi’s placed effort trickled off the post.

The visitors were not entirely comfortable however and they picked up three yellow cards in the first quarter to add another complication to their challenge. A rash challenge from James Clarke could have netted an even worse result for his side.

David Hurley curled a dangerous effort just over from the edge of the box after a smart short corner routine. Ali Coote and Dylan Connolly came into the game at the other end as the half progressed and posted plenty of problems for the hosts.

The tormenter-in-chief was Afolabi and he should have had his goal early in the second half when he was clean through after a long ball. His weak shot was saved by Brendan Clarke, a reprieve for the home side.

There was no reprieve for Bohs when Kacper Radkowski picked up a second yellow for a challenge on Stephen Walsh. The challenge itself was innocuous but it was a tightrope the visitors had been walking, this being their sixth card inside an hour.

If they were sometimes rash in the tackle, they were excellent in defence and dangerous on the break. Despite being a man down they created a couple of chances to kill the game off. Neither Connolly nor Krystian Nowak could apply the necessary finish.

United applied plenty of pressure but James Talbot was not forced into a save. He should however have faced a penalty had referee Neil Doyle, impressive otherwise, spotted a blatant pull on Stephen Walsh in the box.

It was a moment of high contention but the delirious Dubs in the corner would certainly have felt their side had done enough to warrant their ticket to Lansdowne Road being stamped.

Galway United: B Clarke; McCormack, Nugent (Slevin 55), Brouder, Donelon (O’ Keefe 75); Dervin, Borden (Lomboto 75), Hurley, McCarthy (Clarke 86); Walsh, Aouachria (Manley 75) 

Bohemian FC: Talbot; Kukulowicz (McDonnell 87), Nowak, Radkowski, Kirk; Buckley, Clarke (O’ Sullivan 87), Flores (McDaid 87); Connolly (Grant 75), Afolabi, Coote (Byrne 61) 

Ref: N Doyle