Bohemians–Shamrock Rovers rivalry

Bohemians–Shamrock Rovers
Locale Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Teams Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers
First contested 9 January 1915

BohemiansShamrock Rovers is an Irish football rivalry involving two of the most successful clubs in the League of Ireland. It is also a local derby, one of many involving Dublin clubs. The fixture is almost a century in existence and has developed into an intense one, traditionally attracting large attendances.[1] The tie has been played out at numerous venues across the city, with Dalymount Park being the stadium most synonymous with the fixture, having hosted more games than any other.

History

The first game played between the two sides was a Leinster Senior Cup fixture on Saturday, 9 January 1915. The game, staged at Dalymount Park, finished 3–0 to Bohemians. Shamrock Rovers achieved their first victory over Bohemians when they defeated them in the semi–final of the FAI Cup in 1921–22. In 1945, the two clubs contested the FAI Cup final in front of a record attendance of almost 45,000 people, with Rovers winning the game 1–0. In 1969, Bohemians dropped their amateur ethos in favour of professionalism. The subsequent success achieved by the club and the demise of Drumcondra, positioned them as the major club on the Northside.[2] Since then, the relatively minor rivalry that existed between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians has developed into a classic rivalry, producing intense games and large attendances.[3]

While there have been many examples over the years of the importance of the rivalry to the supporters of each club, one of the more recent incidents of note was the signing of Tony Grant and James Keddy by Bohs from Rovers, which led to a pig's head being thrown onto the pitch during their first game versus their old club, in a gesture aimed at Grant in particular.[4] The incident was one of many to reach the front pages of Ireland's newspapers, particularly over the last ten to fifteen years and remained a topic of humour amongst the media for weeks after. In contrast, some of the darker incidents of recent times have been the desecration of the monument commemorating the former home of Shamrock Rovers, Glenmalure Park,[5] and two instances of crowd trouble at Dalymount Park in 2000[6] and Richmond Park in 2003,[7] with the latter resulting in the eviction of Rovers from the Inchicore venue.[8] While violence at the fixture is increasingly sporadic, a large Garda presence remains commonplace.[9]

Rovers and Bohs games attracted relatively large crowds in the 1980s and 1990s, including two FAI Cup fixtures in the 1993–94 season which saw over 10,000 people at each, but the attendances at the fixture have generally followed the same sliding trend as the rest of the League's fixtures over the last forty years. A significant drop occurred during the second half of the previous decade as a result of Shamrock Rovers playing their matches in Tolka Park, Richmond Park and Dalymount Park and the club having an average attendance of just over 1000 during these years. The attendances rose in 2009, largely due to Rovers' move to Tallaght Stadium and, Bohs' status as League of Ireland champions, with the attendance at one game doubling the previous encounter.[10]

Culture

The clubs originate from separate sides of the city. Bohemians were founded on the Northside of Dublin in Phibsboro and have remained there since, while Shamrock Rovers were founded in Ringsend, on the Southside. They played on the Northside for a significant proportion of their homeless years, but have spent the majority of their history on the Southside, seemingly moving alongside the River Dodder. Both clubs naturally draw the majority of their support from the side of the city that they're native to, but maintain a significant minority of support drawn from the rest of Dublin. Both clubs also share less significant rivalries with other Dublin clubs Shelbourne and St Patrick's Athletic.

Results

League

Season Date Home team Result Away team Stadium
1999/2000 19 September 1999 Bohemians
1 3
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
4 December 1999 Shamrock Rovers
0 1
Bohemians Tolka Park
9 March 2000 Bohemians
0 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2000/01 14 August 2000 Shamrock Rovers
0 0
Bohemians Tolka Park
3 November 2000 Bohemians
0 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
28 January 2001 Shamrock Rovers
4 6
Bohemians Morton Stadium
2001/02 7 September 2001 Bohemians
0 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
9 November 2001 Shamrock Rovers
1 0
Bohemians Richmond Park
15 February 2002 Bohemians
1 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2002/03 2 August 2002 Bohemians
3 2
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
20 October 2002 Shamrock Rovers
1 1
Bohemians Tolka Park
13 December 2002 Bohemians
3– 2
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2003 27 April 2003 Bohemians
1 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
1 September 2003 Shamrock Rovers
1 2
Bohemians Richmond Park
22 September 2003 Bohemians
2 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
24 October 2003 Shamrock Rovers
0 0
Bohemians Tolka Park
2004 16 April 2004 Bohemians
2 2
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
12 June 2004 Shamrock Rovers
2 1
Bohemians Dalymount Park
27 August 2004 Bohemians
3 2
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
5 November 2004 Shamrock Rovers
0 1
Bohemians Tolka Park
2005 18 March 2005 Bohemians
1 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
3 June 2005 Shamrock Rovers
1 2
Bohemians Dalymount Park
2 September 2005 Bohemians
1 3
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2007 3 April 2007 Bohemians
2 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
29 June 2007 Shamrock Rovers
1 1
Bohemians Tolka Park
17 September 2007 Bohemians
0 2
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2008 4 April 2008 Shamrock Rovers
0 1
Bohemians Tolka Park
5 August 2008 Bohemians
2 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
26 September 2008 Shamrock Rovers
1 2
Bohemians Tolka Park
2009 20 March 2009 Bohemians
2 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
16 May 2009 Shamrock Rovers
2 1
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
26 July 2009 Bohemians
0 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2 October 2009 Shamrock Rovers
1 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
2010 9 April 2010 Shamrock Rovers
1 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
29 May 2010 Bohemians
0 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
8 August 2010 Shamrock Rovers
3 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
5 October 2010 Bohemians
1 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2011 15 April 2011 Bohemians
1 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
30 May 2011 Shamrock Rovers
1 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
5 August 2011 Bohemians
0 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
5 October 2011 Shamrock Rovers
1 1
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
2012 30 March 2012 Shamrock Rovers
2 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
29 June 2012 Bohemians
4 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
10 September 2012 Shamrock Rovers
0 1
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
2013 19 March 2013 Bohemians
0 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
17 May 2013 Shamrock Rovers
1 1
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
16 August 2013 Bohemians
1 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2014 21 March 2014 Bohemians
1 3
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
23 May 2014 Shamrock Rovers
0 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium
23 September 2014 Bohemians
1 1
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park
2015 27 March 2015 Shamrock Rovers
0 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium

Cup

Season Date Home team Result Away team Stadium Competition
2000/01 13 April 2001 Bohemians
1 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park FAI Cup
2002/03 6 October 2002 Shamrock Rovers
2 0
Bohemians Tolka Park FAI Cup
2006 25 August 2006 Shamrock Rovers
0 0
Bohemians Tolka Park FAI Cup
29 August 2006 Bohemians
0 2
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park FAI Cup
2007 7 August 2007 Bohemians
1 0
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park League of Ireland Cup
2011 4 July 2011 Bohemians
2 1 (AET)
Shamrock Rovers Dalymount Park Leinster Senior Cup
2012 12 March 2012 Shamrock Rovers
1 1 (AET) PENS 6 5
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium Leinster Senior Cup
2014 28 April 2014 Shamrock Rovers
3 0
Bohemians Tallaght Stadium Leinster Senior Cup

Statistics

Since 1999/2000 season

Competition Bohemians wins Draws Shamrock Rovers wins
League of Ireland 18 17 14
FAI Cup 1 1 2
League of Ireland Cup 1 0 0
Leinster Senior Cup 1 0 1

See also

References

  1. "Rivals set for new chapter in old capital affair". The Irish Times. 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  2. "Best of enemies ready to go at it". The Irish Times. 2009-10-02. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  3. "Rivals set for new chapter in old capital affair". The Irish Times. 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  4. "Fans hurl pig's head at ex-Hoops man". Irish Daily Star. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  5. "Rovers monument destroyed by BSC". Photobucket. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  6. "Shamrock Rovers warn fans on violence". RTÉ. 2000-03-13. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  7. "Rovers determined to root out hooligans". RTÉ. 2003-09-11. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  8. "Rovers evicted from Richmond Park". RTÉ. 2003-09-12. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  9. "Gardaí in full riot gear keep lid on rivals". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  10. "Rovers receive major attendance boost". RTÉ. 2009-10-02. Retrieved 2009-11-04.

External links