Alan Reynolds said his Bohemians side are relishing the opportunity to show what they can do when they travel to Tallaght to face rivals Shamrock Rovers on Easter Monday.
He believes that the consecutive home wins against Sligo Rovers and Cork City, sandwiched between a 1-0 defeat away to defending champions Shelbourne, has the squad in a positive mood ahead of tomorrow’s afternoon kick-off.
Bohs kicked off their 2025 campaign with a 1-0 win against tomorrow’s opposition at the Aviva Stadium but Rovers have enjoyed the better form since, sitting in third place on 18 points, a point off top spot, while Bohs occupy seventh position on 12 points.
Reynolds said: “Fans love derby games and players are no different. We all relish games like this. These are the kind of games you are involved in football for and enjoy the most.
“We’re playing in front of a massive crowd and we’ll have a big crowd coming over right behind us. We all know how much this game means to our supporters and we are going to Tallaght determined to get a result.
“We’re not where we want to be in the table but we have a group who are relishing this occasion and the opportunity to show what they are really capable of.”
18 April 2025; Bohemians supporters congratulate players after James McManus, hidden, pictures their side’s first goal during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Bohemians and Cork City at Dalymount Park in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
While Bohs laboured at times to break down Cork City on Good Friday, Reynolds was pleased with the resilience of his side to press on to get the winner after thinking they had taken the lead on 83 minutes only for Rhys Brennan’s effort to be ruled out after it was adjudged that the ball had gone out of play.
Their pressure eventually paid off two minutes later when James McManus pounced following a headed clearance to drill the ball home from the edge of the 18-yard box.
It was a moment to savour for the 20-year-old, who after shining in 2022 and 2023, saw his 2024 season reduced to featuring in just 12 games after two agonising injury set-backs.
Reynolds said: “James had such a difficult year so for him to be able to celebrate such an important goal with the supporters in the Jodi Stand meant the world to him.
18 April 2025; Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds with goalscorer James McManus after the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Bohemians and Cork City at Dalymount Park in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
“He’s one of their own, it was a brilliant strike and he’s reminded people over the past number of weeks just how good a player he is. We’re all delighted for him.
“He’s still only 20 years of age but he is growing in confidence now he’s back in the side. James came through the academy here, was a fan, so a late winner like that is a special moment for him and no more than he deserves.
“He’s a young lad playing in a really important position for us so we have to be patient but you can see he’s back enjoying his football again now after putting in the hard yards while out injured for most of last season.
“We have young players in the team in really key positions in the spine of our team who are working really hard and he’s one of them. You look at our centre-backs on Friday and in Seán Grehan and Leigh Kavanagh, we have two 21-year-olds with great futures ahead of them as well.
“It’s been a big step up for them. They have some older heads around them but there’s expectation that is always a challenge for young players to adjust to, so I am delighted that they are growing in confidence and improving.”
18 April 2025; Sean Grehan of Bohemians in action against Cathal O’Sullivan of Cork City during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Bohemians and Cork City at Dalymount Park in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
While Reynolds is pleased to have got more points on the board in recent weeks, he says the first series of games of this campaign wasn’t good enough and is demanding better from his players.
He said: “Listen we are pleased to get the results against Sligo and Cork but nobody is fooling ourselves, we know our results weren’t good enough in the first series of games.
“We drew a line under the first series of games going into the Cork game on Friday and we have set targets for the second series of games.
“We started off the second series of games with the win on Friday, but that can only be the start. We have to push on now.
“There were aspects of our performance that I was pleased with. We were delighted with the resilience of the lads in dusting themselves down to push on for the winner after Rhys’ effort was chalked off, and we were happy we kept a clean sheet.
“But our overall performance wasn’t where it needs to be. We know we won’t get away with that against a team as good as Shamrock Rovers so our standards have to be higher, and that’s what we are all striving to achieve.”
Team news
Lys Mousset (Achilles) and Alex Lacey (hamstring) are out.