Landmark match at the Aviva sees Bohemians edge narrow victory over Shamrock Rovers
Credit - RTE
The number of spectators at The Aviva Stadium on Sunday was higher than the average attendance of Ligue Une, Serie A and La Liga, a staggering statistic that was unfathomable even three years ago. The attendance of the ground-breaking match was recorded as a record-breaking 33,208 spectator. This was the first ever League of Ireland domestic match to take place at Irelands national stadium.
The opening match for the League of Ireland campaign saw the Phibsborough outfit move their match, which would have taken place in Dalymount Park, to South Dublin. The match was plastered with the Bohemians logo and red lights to display that this was their home game. Bohemians took up most of the fans with the Rover’s fan allocation in the dip end of the Aviva Stadium.
The game would kick off with a pyro display from both fans, green and red smoke filled the Aviva, in a display becoming synonymous with the league. Lys Mousset, a former Premier League player, garnered his first start for The Gypsies. He seemed without full match fitness, but it was obvious of his quality whenever he was on or off the ball.
Among others for Rovers, Michael Noonan started up front, if the name sounds familiar, he recently broke the record for the youngest goal scorer in a European competition on Thursday against Molde. Between getting back into game shape and the size of the pitch in comparison to Dalymount and Tallaght Stadium, both teams were shaky to start.
Credit - The Irish Independent
Finally, Bohemians broke the deadlock when they went on the counter, when centre midfielder Ross Tierney scored a goal at the 25th minute mark. After both teams threatening to score, the half ended with both teams going in for a team-talk. After the whistle blew for the second half, Bohemians sat back allowing pressure in on themselves. This was seen as Shamrock Rovers began to grow into the game. With growing tension in the Aviva, Rovers had arguably the best chance of the game, but somehow the ball just would not cross the goal line, ultimately this proved to be a blow to the Hoops.
The game ended 1-0, and the landmark match to kick off the League season was over with a buzz for the Gypsies, who managed to win in the first Dublin Derby of the season. This is a watershed moment for the League. With talks of a third division for League of Ireland and the record transfer of Mason Melia, League of Ireland is definitely on the up. With that growth it’s an exciting time for Irish football fans, for those who only watch the Premier League, this season could prove to be one to remember and join the bandwagon.