Cookson sends Villa top
The Villa FC team who defeated Bohs in the Division 4A League at Ben Wadding Park on Friday night. Photo: Paul Elliott.
Villa moved to the top of the Division 4A League table after they defeated Bohemians at Ben Wadding Park on Friday night last. Sean Cookson was the hero for Villa, scoring twice as the visitors walked away with all three points.
Bohs were always in the game and had some decent chances to score but Kris Kinkead in goal for Villa had a cracking game between the posts and Paul Browne in the heart of the Villa defence was excellent.
It was Villa who opened up on the attack and on two minutes they almost took the lead. Villa striker Dean Grant flicked the ball into the path of David McCaffery but his first time shot flew just over the crossbar.
Minutes later at the other end Bohs went close, David Kennedy beat the Villa offside trap and raced along the end line but his effort from a tight angle just cleared the bar.
Villa took the lead on seven minutes. Dean Grant showed good foot work inside the Bohs box and played the ball inside for Sean Cookson and he side footed home from ten yards.
Bohs bounced back and began to get the upper hand in midfield with Kevin Moran and Conor Mullane dictating the game. Villa suffered a huge blow when their Brazilian star Valttemir De Oliveira had to leave the field with a nasty foot injury.
Just before the half time whistle Bohs created a good chance to equalise. Conor Mullane won the ball for Bohs in mid field and split the Villa defence with a clever ball, onto the pass came David Kennedy but Villa keeper Kris Kinkead raced from his line to make an excellent save.
Five minutes into the second period David Kennedy floated a free kick into the Villa box, Bohs centre back Paul Browne got his head to the cross but Kris Kinkead was well placed to save.
Minutes later Villa put a fine attacking move together, David McCaffery slipped the ball inside Sean Cookson who played in Jason Carroll the winger took aim but Paul Browne got across to make a goalsaving tackle.
On 48 minutes Bohs won a corner kick on the left, Conor Mullane whipped in the flag kick to the far post, the ball found the head of Kevin Moran his header was on target but Paul Browne and keeper Kris Kinkead stopped the ball from crossing the line.
Villa wrapped up the points on 55 minutes, Bohs defender Eamon Sauders blocked a strike from Paul Davis the ball broke free and Sean Cookson hit a powerful right foot shot that flew into the roof of the net.
Cookson almost completed his hat trick in stoppage time, he took a pass from McCaffery and hit a goal-bound right foot strike but Bohs keeper John Morgan pulled off a fine save.
John Morgan, Stephen Walsh, Pat Dunphy, Paul Browne, Conor Mullane, Kevin Moran, Eamon Sauders, David Kennedy, Graham Murphy, Johnny Fanning, Anthony Grey, Willie O’Keeffe, Graham Butler, Colin Wallace, Bobby Keohan, Brain Carey, Blerim Shallci.
Kris Kinkead, Colm Heylin, Stephen Grace, Pat Farrell, Paul Browne, Jason Carroll, David McCaffery, Valtemir De Oliveira, Dean Grant, Sean Cookson, Ian O’Sullivan, Alan Fitzgerald, Liam Kavanagh, Conor O’Byrne, Pat Davis.
Richie Brazil.
