MARK O’MAHONY’S FIRST Premier League start ended in disappointment as Bournemouth brushed Brighton aside with a 3-0 win.
Goals from Marcos Senesi, Enes Unal and Justin Kluivert fired record-breaking Bournemouth into the top half of the table.
The Cherries won the battle for south-coast supremacy to beat their own record points haul in the top flight, surpassing the 46 they managed under Eddie Howe in 2016-17.
When Brighton won the reverse fixture at the end of September they moved up to third, while Bournemouth were still searching for their first win under Andoni Iraola.
But the Seagulls have now wilted to 12th, their European ambitions well and truly extinguished, while Bournemouth are proving to be the late-season bloomers.
It took them just 13 minutes to take the lead when Lewis Cook swung in corner to the near post, where Umal challenged Brighton teenager O’Mahony. The ball looped up into the six-yard box and Senesi was left with a simple header into the net.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi made seven changes to his line-up following the 4-0 drubbing by Manchester City on Thursday, including full debuts for O’Mahony and Odel Offiah, the nephew of rugby league great Martin Offiah.
O’Mahony was replaced by Danny Welbeck at half time.
The Ireland U21 international made his home debut – and his second Premier League appearance off the bench — against City.
The 19-year-old recently signed a three-year contract extension with Brighton, having previously played Cork City in the First Division before moving across the water in January 2023.
Mark Travers was in the Bournemouth goal.
- Updated 17.01
