Alan Reynolds says Bohemians are going into tomorrow’s game away to Drogheda United knowing how hard they have to work for the all-important small margins to go their way.
Bohs travel to a venue where they enjoyed one of the most memorable occasions of the 2025 campaign as a 4-1 win on the final day of the season, combined with a nerve-wracking wait for a result elsewhere to go their way, sent Reynolds’ men on their way to qualify for Europe.
But Bohs are also up against a side that won each of their previous four league meetings by a 1-0 scoreline, and Reynolds says the only way his side will keep their positive start to the season going is if they work for it.
Reynolds said: “It’s the last game of the first series of games so obviously we want to give everything of ourselves to keep our good start going and to build on it.
“We know what we are up against though. Our last trip up there was a brilliant night but we’ve had our fair share of pain against Drogheda as well.
“That win on the last day of the season was one of the most memorable days I’ve had as manager here. We’d had an incredibly tough week beforehand – we threw a 2-0 lead away against Shelbourne at home, were still leading by a goal in the last few minutes of the game only to lose the game deep into injury time.
“After working hard all season, European football was no longer in our hands. It was tough to take, really gut-wrenching – everyone was devastated. But we had to dust ourselves down. That can be a difficult space for players to be in – you can get distracted thinking about what could have been and thinking about the game we needed to go your way but we were magnificent that night and we got to where we aimed to be in the end.
“Our supporters were brilliant that day and helped us over the line. They pushed out all the negativity from the week previous and got right behind us and we got where we wanted to be despite the big bump in the road!
“All of that is in the past but the celebrations we had that night are why we are all in football. You don’t dwell on them – but you double down, and work even harder to try and make sure you have more of them.
“That week, and even our record previously against Drogheda, are perfect examples of how hard you have to work for the small margins to go your way in football: Against Shels, we nearly threw it all away, and in our previous games against Drogheda, we felt we should have won but ended up losing 1-0.
“So we need 100% concentration, 100% commitment, from start to finish. We have to work hard for it for every minute of the game and we have to be really ruthless. If we switch off, we will be punished.”
Reynolds will watch the game from the stands after being given a three-game suspension for an incident in the build-up to last month’s 1-1 draw away to Shelbourne.
He said: “As I said that night, I didn’t think there was a whole lot in it, just a bit of needle in the build-up to a big game. But we move on, and we will learn from it. The players have worked extremely hard all week preparing for this game. They know what their jobs are and what they have to do and, in Stephen O’Donnell, have a brilliant coach with plenty of managerial experience in the dugout.”
Bohs come into the game following a 1-1 draw at home to Dundalk before the international break where Patrick Hickey, nominated for the SWI/SSE Airtricity Player of the Month for the second month running, was on the scoresheet once more.
Reynolds said: “I knew how strong Dundalk would be having watched them and knowing the quality of players that they had brought in over the closed season. Because they have just been promoted, people might underestimate them but they won’t for much longer. They had lost just once in their opening seven games before playing us, and probably left Dalymount feeling they could have nicked a win.
“They will cause problems for a lot of teams. Our performance could have been better but after the start to the season we have had, I would not be too critical of our players. We took the point, moved on, and got back to work on the areas we feel we need to improve on.”
While all eyes over the past week were on Ireland’s heartache in Prague, closer to home, the international break highlighted some of the talented players coming through to the Bohs first team.
Playing in all three of the Latvia U21s’ games over the past week, Markuss Strods, who set up goals in Bohs’ most recent home games against both Galway United and Dundalk, continued that form with his national team, netting his first international goal in a 1-1 draw with Georgia last Friday.
Elsewhere, Josh Harpur and Hugh Martin arrived home on Wednesday having helped the Ireland MU17s qualify for this year’s MU17s World Cup.
Harpur featured in all three games in Poland over the course of the week, Martin started two, while Harpur was on the scoresheet in Tuesday’s 7-0 win over Slovakia.
Reynolds said: “We want to help our players to fulfil their potential, and to go on and play for their country, so we are absolutely delighted to see the two boys help the 17s qualify for the World Cup.
“We’re delighted for Markuss as well. He’s had a great impact for us over the past few weeks and scoring for your country is another big milestone for him.
“We’re serious about bringing players from our academy here through to our first team. Part of player development is coaching development too so Stevie O’Donnell assisting Jim Crawford for the Ireland U21s will have been an important experience for him.
“He has a track record of bringing players through – he gave Senan Mullen his debut at Dundalk – so working with the international set-up will complement what we are trying to do at Bohs in developing and bringing players through here too.”
Team news
Dayle Rooney (knee) is out while Douglas James-Taylor (knee) is rated 50-50.
⬤ Any supporter buses travelling to Drogheda are advised by An Garda SĂochána to go directly to the Crosslanes Car Park. No supporter buses will be allowed access to the Windmill Road.
⬤ Supporters attending Easter Monday’s game against Waterford are reminded that kick-off is at the earlier time of 5pm. Some Des Kelly Stand tickets remain on sale and are available from tickets.bohemians.ie.