With as efficient a performance as they might have wished for, Bohemians moved to within a point of Shelbourne at the top of the table with two clinically-taken goals late in each half to inflict a devastating fourth successive defeat on Galway United.

Ironically, Bohemians' first goal stemmed from Galway's best chance of the first-half on 40 minutes. Galway's new signing Stephen Grant spun onto a cross from Bobby Ryan to get in a low drive which Bohemians goalkeeper Wayne Russell did well to push out for a corner.

Ryan's corner was then cleared to Glen Crowe, who raced away up the right to pick out Trevor Molloy with a sublime pass with the outside of his left boot. Molloy completed the classic counter-attack by cutting in from the left and drilling a low shot beyond David Forde.

Russell's agility came to Bohemians' rescue within three minutes of the restart when he got a vital touch to push a low Colin Fortune right-footer onto a post as Galway fought back.

Gradually, though, Bohemians regained their grip and they got their second goal 10 minutes from time.

Simon Webb whipped over a pacey free-kick from the right and Stephen Caffrey rose majestically to head home powerfully. It might have been more within a minute, but an upright deprived substitute Brendan Markey.

GALWAY UNITED: Forde; Keady, Silke, O'Connor, Morgan; Ryan, Crossley, Sheridan, Fortune; Grant, Lavine. Subs: O'Brien for Fortune (61 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Russell; O'Connor, Maher, Hill, Webb; Caffrey, Hunt, Hopper; Molloy, Crowe, O'Neill. Subs: Markey for O'Neill (80 mins); O'Keeffe for Molloy (83 mins).

Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).