Graham Burke scorcher sinks Bohs to keep Hoops' title hopes alive

Graham Burke celebrated turning 31 last Saturday with a cracking late winner to maintain life in Shamrock Rovers' title challenge.

Stephen Bradley’s champions put their frustration of Friday’s late concession of a most contentious penalty at Derry City behind them to eventually break down their arch-rivals at Tallaght Stadium.

The result avenged two successive defeats to Bohemians, including being dumped out of the FAI Cup, to move Rovers to within a point of Derry and four off leaders Shelbourne, with a game more played.

With Drogheda United playing out a scoreless draw at home to Galway United, Bohemians, with just that Rovers win from their last 14 league games, continue to look anxiously over their shoulder at the other end of the table, Alan Reynolds’ Gypsies four points ahead of the Louth side in the relegation play-off place.

In two changes from their acrimonious defeat at Derry, wingback Trevor Clarke and Darragh Burns came into the Hoops side for Josh Honohan and Neil Farrugia who both dropped to the bench.

Though skipper Jordan Flores suspended, Adam McDonnell returned to captain Bohs in the middle of the park, Paddy Kirk came back in at left-back while Jevon Mills replaced the injured Liam Kavanagh in central defence.

A fiery start saw Bohs’ Dawson Devoy yellow-carded for a foul on Danny Mandroiu after just 17 seconds.

The visitors then had a right let off on three minutes when Rovers wasted a glorious opening to take the lead.

Jack Byrne sent Clarke clear on the left. And though Johnny Kenny completely missed the cross, it ran for Burns at the back post who inexplicably shot against a post with the ball coming back into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka.

An injury to the luckless Clarke forced Rovers