Bohemians 1
Wexford Youths 0
BOHEMIANS MOVED BACK into sixth position in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division with a win over Wexford Youths at Dalymount Park tonight.
The Gypsies took advantage of St Pat’s’ break from league action to leapfrog their Dublin rivals as well as Bray Wanderers and Galway United thanks to a first-half strike from top scorer Kurtis Byrne.
The relegation-threatened Youths did make a lively start though with Eric Molloy shooting over from range with a couple of efforts as well as having claims for a penalty waved away.
The Wexford winger continued to be in the thick of the action as he was booked for a robust challenge on Dean O’Halloran before his poor pass was intercepted by Roberto Lopes who surged forward from midfield but just as he was about to take aim, Lee Grace made an important tackle to prevent the shot.
Moments later Bohs did have their first meaningful effort on goal when Lorcan Fitzgerald floated his corner to the edge of the area where Byrne was loitering with intent to volley over.
Aidan Friel was getting forward well from right-back for the visitors and he hit a powerful effort from outside the area which had Shane Supple scampering across his goal to save.
Byrne responded with a glancing header from a Keith Buckley cross but Graham Doyle matched the efforts of Supple with a good stop.
Molloy was getting closer as he volleyed a rasping effort just wide of the post but it was Bohs who found the opener on the stroke of half-time.
Paddy Kavanagh crossed to the unmarked Byrne whose initial effort from six yards was stopped by Doyle but the Wexford stopper lost his footing as he parried back into the path of the striker who tapped into an empty net.
Keith Long’s men picked up where the left off after the break with Derek Prendergast going close with a header and then Buckley found Byrne who had peeled off and made an angle to shoot across Doyle but his weak left shot went wide of the far post.
The last half-hour was error strewn with both sides guilty of numerous mistakes and lacking quality in the final third with Byrne skewing a great chance wide after a cutback from substitute Jake Kelly.
Wexford failed to really mount a challenge for a late point with Byrne’s eighth league goal of the season enough for the hosts who comfortably held out to secure the win.
BOHEMIANS: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Ian Morris, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh (Jake Kelly, 70), Roberto Lopes, Eoin Wearen, Keith Buckley, Dean O’ Halloran (Mark Quigley, 70); Kurtis Byrne (Dan Byrne, 90).
WEXFORD YOUTHS: Graham Doyle; Aidan Friel (Paul Murphy, 83), Stephen Last, Lee Grace, Andrew O’Connor; Eric Molloy, Peter Higgins, Shane Dunne (Andy Mulligan, 74), Chris Kenny, Eoin Porter (Aidan Keenan, 62); Danny Furlong.
Referee: David McKeon
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