Even Bohemians were quick to accept that they got the breaks as they ended their dismal run of just one win from their previous 10 league games to beat Dundalk courtesy of a Tom McNulty own goal and a disputed Brendan Markey penalty.

Dundalk will rightly argue that, though they didn't play as well as they've done in scoring nine goals in a three-match winning run, they scarcely got a decent run of the ball.

Their manager, Jim McLaughlin, was loath to publicly criticise Cork referee, Tom Tully, who deprived Brian Byrne of a goal and waved away pleas for a penalty when Maurice O'Driscoll appeared to have pulled down Peter Withnell.

Dundalk were hampered by the fact that neither of their strikers was fully fit, Withnell retiring early with a troublesome calf problem while Byrne had the flu all week.

Bohemians, who know all about injury problems themselves, slowly took control of a generally scrappy game and just about deserved their win.

It was pretty tedious stuff for much of the opening period and it was 29 minutes before we had a serious effort on target when Bohemians goalkeeper Michael Dempsey easily dealt with a flicked shot from Byrne, following a cross in from the left by Mick Doohan.

Byrne was booked five minutes later for shooting the ball into the net after he had been penalised for handling, though the ball clearly struck him in the face.

Bohemians then created the clearest chance of an otherwise dull half five minutes later when Brian Mooney and Derek Swan combined to play Paul Doolin in, only for the midfielder to toe-poke his shot well wide. Mick Doohan, the Dundalk skipper, almost provided the ideal reply within a minute when he got a firm header on to Paul Carlyle's free-kick but directed it a foot over the crossbar.

Thankfully the second-half offered gradual improvement and the game finally came to life with the opening goal on 55 minutes. Derek Swan's free-kick from the right took a deflection off the head of McNulty and looped over his goalkeeper, Steve Williams, for a goal any striker would have been proud of.

The goal clearly lifted Bohemians and they grew in stature to dominate much of the remainder of the game.

Kevin Brady called on all his guile to prevent a certain second Bohemians goal on 74 minutes, when he took the ball off the toe of Doolin after Swan had picked him out with a perfect cross.

It was merely a reprieve for Dundalk as a minute later Bohemians got their killer second goal from a dubious penalty.

Brady was adjudged to have pushed Peter Hanrahan inside the area as Tommy Byrne floated over a corner and Markey sent Williams the wrong way from the spot.

"Nobody could deny us the breaks we got considering the run that we've had," said a relieved Bohemians manager Turlough O'Connor afterwards.

"Overall I thought we deserved to win the match. Hopefully this result will prove a turning point in our season and our aim now is to strive for a place in the top four."

Bohemians: Dempsey; Broughan, O'Driscoll, Mullen, Byrne; McGrath, P Hanrahan, Doolin, Mooney; Swan, Lawlor. Subs: Markey for Mooney (half-time), Parkes for Doolin (76 mins).

Dundalk: Williams; Hoey, Brady, Doohan, Crawley; Carlyle, McNulty, Melvin, McCoy; Withnell, Byrne. Subs: McConville for Withnell (68 mins).

Referee: T Tully (Cork).