Bohemians 2
Dundalk 1
THE LARGEST DALYMOUNT crowd for a competitive game in 14 years saw Bohemians remain top of the early Premier Division table and earn their first win over Dundalk in seven attempts.
An expert free kick from Jordan Flores and a neat Declan McDaid goal put the hosts in control before Johannes Yli-Kokko, one of three new recruits before kick off, gave Dundalk hope in stoppage time with a low bullet from distance for a superb debut goal.
Dundalk huffed and puffed in the dying embers of the game but were unable to launch a meaningful effort on James Talbot’s goal as Bohs maintained their 100% start.
With the week that’s in it, former Hull City and Dundalk man Jordan Flores opened the scoring for the hosts with a superb free kick on the stroke of half time which delighted the capacity crowd 4432.
Played amidst a backdrop of uncertainty over the ownership of Dundalk, the visitors started well in front of their 450 strong following in the glistening new Mono Stand.
Bohemians soon wrested the initiative and were happy to sit deep and hit Dundalk on the counter with the pace of Dylan Connolly and Jonathan Afolabi. Chances were at a premium but Flores’ rapturous effort made sure a fervent and boisterous Bohs were in the ascendency at the interval.
Declan Devine’s charges – attacking the Des Kelly stand now packed with Bohs fans – began the second half in explosive fashion with chances for Connolly, Ali Coote and Afolabi going begging.
In the midst of a Dundalk purple patch where they had a penalty appeal turned down, Paddy Kirk pinched the ball high up the pitch and Afolabi drove on, pulled it back to McDaid who swept home with 20 minutes remaining.
Bohemians were guilty of coughing up leads late on last season and a nervous gasp drifted around Dalymount Park as new signing Yli-Kokko brought Dundalk back in touch in style as the board adding on six minutes was shown.
Substitute James Akintunde could have eased the nerves of the home fans but he curled over as the clock ticked towards the 96th minute but he curled over when he should have hit the target.
In the end it was a deserved win for the hosts who instantly ran to celebrate with the fans after another momentum-building win.
Bohemians: James Talbot, Patrick Kirk, Grant Horton, Jordan Flores, Declan McDaid (Nowak 76), Alistair Coote (Twardek 84), Jonathan Afolabi (Williams 84), Dylan Connolly (Akintunde 84), Kacper Radkowski, Keith Buckley, Adam McDonnell
Dundalk: Nathan Sheppherd, Archie Davies (Tulloch 79), Andrew Boyle, Louie Annesley, Alfie Lewis (Yli-Kokko 36), Patrick Hoban, Gregory Sloggett, Hayden Muller (Martin 75), Paul Doyle (Elliott 75), Connor Malley, Ryan O’Kane (Kelly 55)