tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73563179639967135392011-04-22T05:15:08.802+01:00'The online diary of a Scottish Bohemians fan during the 2007 season'Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.comBlogger231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-13972619860149628182007-11-11T21:34:00.000Z2007-12-28T17:10:15.846Z

So, that's it then... my season as a Bohemians fan is now over. Although the defeat to Derry in the League Cup final and the humbling 2-0 loss against Cork City in the FAI Cup semi-final still linger in the memory, a point at home against Longford Town followed by a fine 0-1 victory away in Cork ensured we finished third in the League and capped what has been a relatively successful season.It's

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-11806922041930148722007-10-14T12:19:00.000+01:002007-10-14T23:36:06.613+01:00

Walking along to Dalymount on Friday night reminded me a little of going to watch Celtic versus Dundee United in the Scottish Cup Final a few years ago. Just days before Celtic had threw away the League title on the last day courtesy of a 2-1 defeat away to Motherwell*. The following weekend was the Scottish Cup Final. The week leading up to it was a painful one and, even though it was a cup

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-6812550104760097812007-10-09T22:23:00.000+01:002007-10-14T23:37:18.404+01:00

There are certain decisions that leave you scratching your head in disbelief. The ones made by the FAI about where and when to hold this season's League Cup final is one of those on two counts. The football authorities in Ireland are supposedly trying to push the game forward here and to lift the game out of the doldrums. Why then decide to play a major cup final on a Tuesday night at the ground

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-90262531048518328162007-10-09T18:34:00.000+01:002007-10-09T21:43:28.200+01:00

Well, here we are... finally an update.I can only apologise for not keeping this thing updated over reason months. To be honest, between trying to get my golf handicap (unsuccessfully, i may add!) and getting myself a new job, i quite simply haven't had the time. But anyway, that's enough of that... how are me and Bohs getting on i hear you say.Well, it's been a long few months. The last game I

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-7754457998515004522007-08-21T15:29:00.000+01:002007-10-09T18:31:51.629+01:00

This game was moved to the Monday night to allow Setanta Sports to show it live. For once I wasn't too disappointed about this either as the combination of a wet and windy night and a heavy cold meant that I didn't make it anywhere near Dalymount Park. As it turned out the game proved to be just as miserable as the weather, however, a Darren Mansaram strike just before half-time ensured that Bohs

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-54815468338341012412007-06-17T21:14:00.000+01:002007-06-20T11:45:00.883+01:00

Three Friday nights without a game and I was starting to get a few withdrawal symptoms. The break in fixtures couldn't have came at a worse time either. The summer break last year wasn't too bad as the World Cup was in full-flow. This year though it's a different story. Just as a Friday evening has now come to mean football night for me, so too does it now constitute Big Brother night for my

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-3809893166836109782007-06-17T20:58:00.001+01:002007-06-17T21:12:28.254+01:00

I was back in Scotland duing the weekend of the game against Sligo Rovers on June 2nd. Finding out the result of a game your not at while in Ireland is hard enough, but trying to get the latest back in Scotland proved to be nearly impossible. In the end I had to wait until the final score was eventually added up on BBC teletext shorlty after ten o'clock. Even then I was only able to find out the

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-51616234537703755652007-05-28T22:49:00.000+01:002007-06-17T20:46:52.243+01:00

Just when you probably thought it would never happen, I've finally got round to adding up my report from the game against league leaders St Pat's on May 28th. With Bohs having shown clear signs of progression in the early part of the season, this was arguably our biggest test of the campaign so far. Although Bohs had edged up to third position in the table, they were still nine points off the top

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-10316115194676592902007-05-27T17:50:00.000+01:002007-05-27T18:41:02.881+01:00

Just a quick update on how Bohs have fared over the last couple of games. Getting time off on a Friday is proving difficult so unfortunately I had to miss the long away trips to Cork and Galway.I've used the break in Bohs games to get out and see a few other Eircom League matches. Hopefully over the next few weeks i'll be able to get along to see most of the other teams based in and around Dublin

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-10251139933142145002007-05-21T13:42:00.000+01:002007-05-21T16:16:03.284+01:00

Last week proved to be a pretty good week to be a Bohs fan. Not only did they manage to beat Dublin rivals Shelbourne in the League Cup, but they also brought an end to their recent goal drought by smashing five past a poor Longford Town in the League.Having finished early at work that day I headed to the pub before the game for a few pre-match pints. This is something I used to do quite often

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-615045494818795252007-05-09T21:09:00.000+01:002007-05-21T14:35:15.664+01:00

Regular readers of the blog will know how much I had been looking forward to the game against Shelbourne. Not only was it the first time I have seen the two sides play against one another, but it was also to be my first visit to Tolka Park - a stadium I have been meaning to get along to quite some time.When the draw for the third round of the cup was made, I was delighted to see that Bohs had

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-57460678157112656782007-05-05T01:07:00.001+01:002007-05-08T16:27:28.473+01:00

I had a couple of friends over from Scotland at the weekend so I dragged them along to the UCD game on Friday night to give them their first taste of League of Ireland football.With one a regular at Aberdeen (big in the eighties, apparently) and the other a fan of SPL also-rans Rangers (big, but only in their heads), I was hoping both would be treated to some decent football for a change. Sadly

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-23721036554813416432007-04-30T23:03:00.000+01:002007-05-03T21:02:13.632+01:00

Work commitments prevented me from making the trip North for the 0-0 draw against Derry City on Friday night, so unfortunately I won't be able to bring you my usual report this week. Rather than take a week off though, I'd like to use this opportunity to talk about something that has long troubled me about the game here in Ireland - coverage of the League by the media.There's an old saying that "

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-85312447288900787362007-04-22T10:56:00.000+01:002007-04-26T14:47:47.999+01:00

It was about this stage last season that my interest in Bohs began to wane. Much like this season, I had set out at the start of the campaign with the aim of getting to as many games as I could. It didn't quite work out though and between April and the end of the season I only made it along to Dalymount about three or four times.The type of football being played under Gareth Farrelly was enough

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-43439119048352098132007-04-18T20:50:00.000+01:002007-04-21T00:03:05.811+01:00

When it was announced pre-season that Shelbourne were to play their football in the First Division this year I think I was probably one of the only Bohs fans that was actually disappointed. Although I'd been to quite a few games at Dalymount in the previous two seasons, I had never managed to make it along to a meeting of Bohs v Shels. I'd heard and read alot about the rivalry and I was dying to

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-25958613617754117442007-04-14T19:25:00.000+01:002007-04-18T14:49:59.904+01:00

So often since I started following Bohs, the walk home from Dalymount after a game has been a depressing one. However, after the win against Sligo the previous Friday - Bohs third victory on the trot - I very nearly skipped all the way up the Navan Road! That good feeling had lasted for most of the week too and the next game with unbeaten league leaders St Patrick's Athletic couldn't come quick

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-15694343382861223942007-04-06T23:39:00.000+01:002007-04-07T18:10:09.481+01:00

For the game against Sligo Rovers on Friday night i decided to head into the Jodi stand and closer to where all the singing and atmosphere had came from in the Shamrock Rovers game.I had sat in this stand for a few games in the past, however I'd always tended to sit near the middle. I was hoping to get a different perspective on the game and see how the hardcore support acted during the 90-

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-18081885246990718272007-04-04T21:19:00.000+01:002007-04-06T14:11:23.395+01:00

As I was walking round to the Bohemians versus Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park the other night, an old football saying from back home came to mind: "yer hame team is yer ain team". Just as I was walking the through the housing scheme to the back of the Des Kelly stand I bumped into a man in his mid-30's. He obviously spotted the red and black Bohemians scarf in my hand as he looked at me and

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-12197863046515580052007-04-03T16:31:00.000+01:002007-04-06T18:59:44.313+01:00

Work commitments meant I was unable to make it down to Waterford on Friday night. I was obviously disappointed to miss my first game of the season, however, i was delighted to find out via teletext that they had picked up the three points. From what i've read and heard from those who who were at the game, I didn't miss much of a game anyway. Indeed, most reports have likened the performance to

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-32631347829781496212007-04-03T15:15:00.000+01:002007-04-04T22:04:52.157+01:00

One of the best things about following your team is undoubtedly going to away matches. Over the years Celtic Park became something of a bore. During my last few years in Scotland I tended to favour attending away games rather than going to Celtic Park. Don't get me wrong, the big games were great and the atmosphere at Champions League and Old Firm games in Celtic Park is hard to beat. However,

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-817427604156951532007-04-03T13:20:00.000+01:002007-04-04T22:17:22.739+01:00

The long winter wait was finally over and the Eircom League campaign got underway in earnest on March 9th, with Bohs facing a tricky home tie against title favourites Drogheda United. The visitors themselves had been very busy over the winter months and manager Paul Doolin has assembled an impressive squad. With the amount of money he has spent and the players at his disposal, he will be

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-8714493842989566842007-04-03T11:18:00.000+01:002007-04-04T22:14:09.934+01:00

My first chance to see Sean Connor's new-look Bohemians came on Saturday, 17th February. I'd read on the official site that they were playing a friendly against first division side Kildare County at Station Road in Newbridge (around an hour or so south west of Dublin).As the name of the ground suggests, the stadium is located beside the town's railway station which has regular trains to and from

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356317963996713539.post-33788357130327413992007-04-02T22:11:00.000+01:002007-04-06T10:43:18.217+01:00

Before moving to Ireland in 2005 I knew very little about football in Ireland. A vague recollection of Aberdeen being embarrassed by an Irish team (Bohemians) in the Uefa Cup around four or five years earlier was about as much as my memory could muster.Once I had moved over though, I was determined to get to a few games. Getting along to games was one of the things I missed most after moving, so

Course Hopperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438393894309486203noreply@blogger.com0