Five of the best as Bohs land league playoff final clash
Bohemians team and management celebrate their Ball Corporation Youth League playoff win over Tramore AFC at Ozier Park. Photos: Noel Browne
It was Bohemians who captured the final trophy of the Waterford Junior League 2025 season as the Ben Wadding Park outfit powered their way to victory over Tramore in the play-off game to decide the Ball Corporation Youth A League at Ozier Park.
Bohs controlled the majority of the game, but in true Tramore fashion, the Seasiders never gave up the fight and were still in it into the closing stages. Bohs' winger and man of the match, Fortune Daniels, scored two late goals to see his side over the line.
It was the boys from Ben Wadding who were first out of the blocks, and inside four minutes, they went close to taking the lead.
Bernie McDonagh whipped in a near-post corner kick, which caused confusion in the Tramore defence, and Dylan Farrell was happy to concede another flag kick. This time, McDonagh whipped the ball to the edge of the box, and Josh O’Neill Nolan was unlucky to see his volley fly wide of the far post.
Bohs continued to attack and took the lead on 15 minutes. An overlapping run by Josh Nolan saw him hit a first-time cross to the near post, and Bernie McDonagh arrived on cue to send a bullet header into the net.
The Ben Wadding Park outfit held the upper hand as the game approached the half-hour mark. Suddenly, Tramore hit a purple patch as they burst into the game with Joe Brennan bursting forward on 31 minutes, but his long-range effort flew over the top. Then, Darby Sheridan cut in from the right, but Bohs' keeper Oran Murphy saved his strike.
Minutes later, Ben Clune crossed for Adam Chapman, but turned the ball wide at the far post. Bohs made Tramore pay for those missed chances as they scored twice before the half-time whistle.
Another Bohs corner kick gave the Tramore defence problems on 36 minutes when Bernie McDonagh crossed into the box, and as the Tramore defence failed to clear, David Imiren pounced to score from six yards.
They added another goal four minutes later when McDonagh drove a corner kick to the far post, Tramore keeper Ben Collins punched clear, but Tommy Mullally caught the ball on the full and drove it back into the far corner of the net.
There were plenty of thrills and spills as the game moved into the second half. Tramore centre back Shay Corcoran kept his side in the game with two immaculate goal-line clearances.
However, Bohs put Tramore to the sword on 69 minutes with a fourth goal as Bernie McDonagh picked up the ball and took on the Tramore defence before slipping the ball to Fortune Daniles who fired a left foot drive into the far corner.
Tramore fought back with two goals in two minutes. With 73 minutes on the clock, Joe Brennan released Adam Chapman, and he fired a right-foot strike into the far corner of the net.
Two minutes later, Darby Sheridan forced Bohs keeper Oran Murphy into a fine save but Paddy Barrett was on the rebound to score. Tramore pushed everybody forward in search of more goals; however, Bohs kept their composure and scored the fifth goal in injury time to secure the victory.
Centre back Harvey Swift got forward to crash a header against the far post, but Fortune Daniels, who was a thorn in the Tramore side all game, was first to react to fire home the last goal of the game. After the final whistle, Ger Murphy of the Waterford Junior League presented Bohs captain Bradley Keohan with the League winning trophy.
Oran Murphy, Paul Kiely, Bradley Keohan, Lee O’Mahony, Harvey Swift, Josh O’Neill Nolan, Joseph Titilayo (Harry Kavanagh 60), Tommy Mullally (Paul Akinomide 69), Bernie McDonagh (Juwon Ajayi 82), David Imiren, Fortune Daniels.
Ben Collins, Michael Barry (Conor Cleary 46 ), Ryan Walsh, Joe Brennan, Shay Corcoran, Sam Hamilton (Jake Dillon 69), Callum Kennedy Dunphy (Charlie Smyth 50 (Zak Butler 90+4), Ben Clune (Paddy Barrett 60), Adam Chapman, Dylan Farrell, Darby Sheridan.
PJ O’Keeffe, assisted by Luke Brennan and Adam Walsh.
