Dundalk 3
Bohemians 0
Caoimhín Reilly reports from Oriel Park
EIGHT GAMES INTO the new season and Dundalk FC remain the only unbeaten team in the Premier Division having recorded their fifth win at Oriel Park tonight against Bohemians.
Keith Long’s side entered this Good Friday encounter buoyed by last week’s late triumph over Bray Wanderers. However, after a first half to forget, the Gypsies were never in a position to repeat the feat.
Despite weathering a fairly stale opening, Bohs – and centre back Dan Casey – pressed firmly on the self-destruct button on 24 minutes when bundling Krisztián Adorján over and Patrick Hoban made no mistake in sending Shane Supple the wrong way from 12 yards to put The Lilywhites in front.
Though out of possession for lengthy periods, the Dubliners had previously managed Dundalk’s attack impressively with the only previous instance of note seeing home custodian Gary Rogers — on course to equal a club record of eight straight clean sheets — replaced on nine minutes through injury.
Goal number two arrived as the Lilywhites began to stretch the visitors. Jamie McGrath played a lovely reverse pass to Seán Gannon in space and the right back made no mistake in slotting beneath Supple.
With the outcome all but decided, the second half was a rather drab affair with few chances of note.
Adorján — on his first league start for the club — went closest when stinging the palms of the visiting net-minder, while Duffy pulled another save from Supple in the dying embers.
This, either side of Bohs seeing two penalty claims waved away by referee Graham Kelly.
But, fittingly, Duffy had the final say, neatly controlling on the edge of the area before firing low to the net for the winners’ third of the night.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers (Gabriel Sava 9); Seán Gannon, Daniel Cleary, Stephen Folan, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (John Mountney 88); Jamie McGrath, Krisztián Adorján (Stephen O’Donnell 76), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban
BOHEMIANS: Shane Supple; Keith Buckley, Dan Byrne, Dan Casey (Dylan Watts HT), Darragh Leahy; Oscar Brennan, Ian Morris; Paddy Kavanagh (Danny Grant 76), Keith Ward, Karl Moore (Eoghan Stokes 63); Dinny Corcoran
Referee: Graham Kelly
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