Bohs end improbable run to title

By Mark Jones

DUBLIN — THE final table never lies. Shelbourne looked near certainties to win Irish soccer’s National League Premier Division title when it came down to the last series of games, but instead it was their Dublin rivals, Bohemians, who claimed the trophy, ending a 23-year in the most dramatic of circumstances.

All Shelbourne needed was a draw from their home game Sunday against Cork City, but they ended up losing 1-0 to an Ollie Cahill goal, while Bohemians were comfortable 5-0 winners against Kilkenny City. For Bohs’ manager, Roddy Collins, whose side was 12 points in arrears at the start of the year, it was an unexpected triumph built on seven victories in their last eight matches.

"This is where the club belongs," said Collins, who is a brother of former World middleweight boxing champion Steve. "This day two years ago we were fighting for survival."

Collins, who has no contract, also threatened to quit if the club didn’t come up with plans to match his ambition.

"They’re going to have to come with something attactive, not for me financially, but for the overall situation of the club," he said. "It’s a professional club being run off the pitch by people who don’t know what to do. If it continues the way it is, I don’t want to be a part of it."

Meanwhile, his dejected Shelbourne counterpart, Dermot Keely, refused to point the finger at the players.

"They put so much effort in," he said. "To the come this far and fall is very hard to take."

At the other end of the table, Finn Harps were relegated along with Kilkenny, and Dundalk were confirmed as champions of Div. 1. Now Bohs have the opportunity of completing a prized double when they take on Longford Town in the FAI Cup final next Sunday.