Bohemians 3 Dundalk 1:A SUBLIME goal from Ger O'Brien was the highlight as Bohemians made it eight wins from their last 11 games to maintain their push for Europe.
Right back O’Brien ran from halfway on 54 minutes to hit a shot from 20 yards in off the crossbar.
That doubled Bohemians’ lead after Killian Brennan had raced clear on to goalkeeper Craig Sexton’s long clearance to shoot past Peter Cherrie five minutes earlier
But sloppy defending allowed Dundalk, scarcely in the match, a lifeline on 61 minutes. Johnny Breen got in behind O’Brien, Owen Heary and Liam Burns. Sexton did well to save the first shot with his legs, but Breen followed up to score.
Another mistake by Burns then almost gifted Dundalk an equaliser four minutes later, but Mark Griffin shot over.
Bohemians didn’t seal their win until the 90th minute when substitute Christy Fagan turned home from close range from Anto Flood’s low cross.
True to their excellent recent form, Bohemians started vibrantly and were denied a fifth-minute lead.
Cherrie was booked for a foul outside his box on Aiden Downes. Brennan’s free-kick ricocheted off the wall but was retrieved by Downes who shot powerfully against the post. Dundalk defender Carl McHugh then somehow deflected Flood’s follow-up header over the bar.
It was nearly all Bohemians thereafter and Cherrie did well to save from Flood on the half hour after a mistake by McHugh.
BOHEMIANS: Sexton; O’Brien, Heary, Burns, Rossiter; Brennan, Hurley (McEvoy, 85 mins.), Cronin, Buckley (Bayly, 76 mins); Flood, Downes (Fagan, 63 mins).
DUNDALK: Cherrie; Madden, C. Byrne, McHugh, Murphy; Griffin, Bennett, Bolger, Quigley; Breen, J. Byrne.
Referee: Dave McKeon (Dublin).
Attendance: 870.
