Alan Reynolds says Bohemians are determined to make their final season in Dalymount Park before its redevelopment one to remember.
Bohs host Shamrock Rovers tomorrow in their first game of the season at their home of 125 years, with Reynolds hoping to continue his side’s positive start to the 2026 campaign.
Reynolds said: “This will be the first of many lasts at Dalymount Park this season and we want to make sure we create special memories in our final season here.
“This is our first game of the season in our own ground, and it will be the last Friday night game against our fiercest rivals before the stadium is redeveloped.
“For so many of our supporters who have been coming here all their lives, they have been hearing about plans to redevelop Dalymount for over a decade, and talk of leaving it completely for a decade more before that.
“I know from talking to people around the club that it’s now starting to feel real. We know the significance of that for everyone. It brings with it a lot of emotion. I spoke before at the start of the season about how big a year this is for all of us at the club – for our players but more importantly for our supporters.
“We have European football to look forward to but we have to put that to the back of our mind as we look to build on the positive start we have made to our league campaign. I think we have shown in our opening three games that we have a team up for the fight, up for the challenge and that has players of quality and potential who really want to be successful.”
Bohs have seven points from their opening three games, scoring five goals and keeping three clean sheets.
Reynolds said: “Our opening game at the Aviva Stadium didn’t live up to the occasion and the atmosphere on the day but a point against a good St Pat’s side wasn’t a bad start. It was a tight game, we had the better of the chances, and it gave us something to build on.
“Our second game away to Sligo Rovers, we were exceptional, on the pitch and in the stands. We started with intent, and that hunger paid off with Dayle Rooney opening the scoring after just 90 seconds.
“If I had any criticism, it was that we didn’t make our dominance count in the first half. But we started with the same intent in the second half, and we were over the moon that Colly Whelan got another hat-trick – his third in a year.
“Off the pitch, the support we had was outstanding. We’ve a lot of new players settling in, and none of them had ever experienced support like we had in Sligo before. They thrived on it.
“That encouragement made a real difference, and it is something I hope we can count on this season because we won’t always have it our own way.
“Last Friday, Bohs fans made themselves heard again in a packed-out and hostile stadium while our players made themselves counted against a Derry City team expected to challenge this year.
“It took a bit of magic from Dawson Devoy’s free-kick to break the deadlock, but it was no more than we deserved, I thought we were excellent. Not many teams will go up to the Brandywell, give a performance like that, and get a win and a clean sheet.
“There is still plenty to work on, plenty of areas where we can improve, so nobody is getting carried away but we will take confidence from that performance and that result.
“Taking on Rovers is another big challenge for us. They have obviously set the standards over the past number of years.
“But I think our fans saw how the team embraced the challenge against Derry and they are relishing this challenge now too.
“With two big wins on the road, we want to build on that now we are back on our own patch.
“We want to start strongly. We know the place will be on wheels given the occasion and we have to play to that and thrive on it.
“We’re really looking forward to it. We’ve a lot of new players in this squad so for many of them it will be the first time they have played in Dalymount and we want them to start as they mean to go on and give our fans something to cheer about.
“We need our fans with us from the first minute to the last as well – everyone pulling together in the same direction to make our last season in the current Dalymount Park one to remember.”
Team news
Bohemians have a full squad to choose from.
