Bohemians 3 Dundalk 2
Bohs snatched all three points against an in-form Dundalk side as they came from behind late thanks to Jonathan Afolabi’s late winner.
In a clash of both sides on different trajectories of late, the hosts desperately searching for a win to reinvigorate their season and the visitors amassing 13 points from their last available 15, the race for European football for next season was firmly in focus for both sides.
The home side started much brighter, flying out of the traps and could have taken the lead with just three minutes in.
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Jonathan Afolabi held off his marker in the area from a quick Paddy Kirk throw in before drilling the ball across the face of goal. And in the same move, the big frontman rose highest in a busy area but couldn’t guide his header on target.
The Gypsies got the reward their fast start deserved with a quarter of an hour played when James McManus perfectly timed his run, arriving at the edge of the area to control and smash home from Afolabi’s drilled cut back.
In a thrilling first half, the visitors turned the game on its head firstly equalising through Johannes Yli-Kokko, who turned Krystian Nowak sharply before slotting low past James Talbot.
Less than 10 minutes later the Lilywhites took the lead thanks to a bullet header from Connor Malley, having been picked out expertly by Archie Davies from deep on the right wing.
Kacper Radkowski was unlucky to see his glanced header narrowly miss the foot of the post before the half time whistle blew, drawing an angry reaction from some sections of the home support.
In a tense second half with little in the way of goalmouth action it wasn’t until the last ten minutes that Bohs stepped up a gear.
With time running out substitute John O’Sullivan netted a huge equaliser, finishing brilliantly from man-of-the-match James McManus low cross and just two minutes later Jonathan Afolabi found himself clean through on goal and showed great composure to put his side ahead fashioning an incredible turnaround of their own to win 3-2.
Bohemian FC: James Talbot, Keith Buckley, Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski, Paddy Kirk, Dylan Connolly (James Clarke, 61′), James McManus, Adam McDonnell (John O’Sullivan, 70′), Declan McDaid (Kris Twardek, 70′), Jordan Flores, Jonathan Afolabi
Subs not used: Joseph Collins, Bartlomiej Kukulowicz, James Akintunde, Cian Byrne, Chris Lotefa, Nickson Okosun
Dundalk FC: Nathan Shepperd, Archie Davies, Louie Annesley, Hayden Muller, Darragh Leahy, Daniel Kelly (Ryan O’Kane, 83′), Greg Sloggett (Keith Ward, 84′), Paul Doyle (Alfie Lewis, 83′), Johannes Yli-Kokko (John Martin, 72′), Connor Malley, Pat Hoban
Subs not used: Peter Cherrie, Anthony Mayo, Mark Byrne, Dualta Honney, Mayowa Animasahun
