Bohemians make the trip to Ferrycarrig Park tonight (7.30pm kick off) to face Wexford in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, just three days after sealing their place in a first ever FAI Cup final with victory over Treaty United at Dalymount Park, writes GARY O’CONNOR.
Saturday was a landmark day for the Gypsies, who delivered a composed and controlled performance in front of their home fans to overcome Treaty United 2–0. First half goals from Leiagh Glennon and Katie Lovely proved decisive, and the result booked a place in the final against Athlone Town at Tallaght Stadium on the 19th of October.
For manager Alban Hysa, it was a win that showcased the maturity and composure of his young side, who rarely looked troubled throughout the 90 minutes.
“I thought it was a very composed, very controlled performance by ourselves,” he said. “We took our chances when we needed to and we managed not to give the opposition a sniff on goal really throughout 90 minutes. I don’t remember Rachael Kelly having to save many chances from Treaty.”
That maturity has been a hallmark of Bohs’ recent displays, particularly in games where they have taken the lead and then managed the tempo with calmness and control. Hysa admitted he has been impressed by the rapid growth of his squad this year.
“I’ve seen this team grow since the beginning of this year and we’ve seen a special group of players that potentially always knew they could do something,” he explained. “It is amazing to see the progress they’ve made in the past few months. We didn’t start too great in terms of their potential, then we went on a run and got into two finals. To arrive at this point with such a young squad, and for them to be able to control games and manage the tempo, has been a joy to watch.”
That growth will be tested again on Tuesday in Ferrycarrig Park against a Wexford side Bohs know well. The two clubs met in the All Island Cup final just over a fortnight ago, when Wexford came from behind to equalise before prevailing 5–3 on penalties.
Hysa knows it will be another stern test, particularly as it comes in the middle of a demanding run of fixtures.
“We are going to Wexford trying to win the game. We will be confident,” he said. “We have played them quite a lot this season. It is tough playing three games in the space of a week, we will see if we can rotate the squad a little bit and hopefully get the three points on Tuesday night.”
After Saturday’s win over Treaty, Tuesday’s clash with Wexford, and another huge league fixture against Shamrock Rovers this coming weekend managing energy and balance within the group will be crucial.
“It is tough for us, there are only so many changes I can make in relation to keeping the balance of the squad,” Hysa admitted. “The balance is very important rather than just thinking we can rotate players. While we have young talented players, at the same time you want to go out and win games. We’ll try our best to overcome the next two matches and then have a break before the next one, but it would be fantastic if we can get out of Wexford with three points.”
Alongside the immediate challenge of picking up league points, Bohs also have one eye on next month’s FAI Cup final. Hysa believes that maintaining momentum in the league will be key in the weeks leading up to that showpiece at Tallaght.
“It’s very important,” he said. “The girls are buzzing being in another final, and obviously the final helps keep them pushing in the league. If we hadn’t got to the final it would be a hard task to push them for the next five games if there was nothing to play for. Now there is a lot to play for, therefore everyone will be buzzing. From our perspective we want to go and get maximum points in the next five games and we’ll give it our best shot to do that.”
With so much competition for places, the remaining league fixtures also offer opportunities for players to stake their claim for a starting spot in the final.
“This has been the case for every game,” Hysa stressed. “The moment a player shows that they deserve to be there, they will keep their spot for the next one. It’s as simple as that. It’s a matter of the players that are starting going and showing that they need to be starting the next one.”
Bohemians have already shown their resilience and growth this season, reaching two finals and now pushing for a strong league finish. Another meeting with Wexford offers the chance to put down a marker against familiar opposition and keep building momentum at the business end of the campaign.
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Shauna Carroll (foot) and Aoibhe Fleming (foot) remain out.