Dundalk 2 Bohemians 0
Michael Duffy was the star of the show as Dundalk returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Bohemians at Oriel Park.
After losing to Bray Wanderers last week, an early goal is exactly what Stephen Kenny would have ordered and it arrived in the ninth minute.
Patrick McEleney did well to get on the end of a slightly overhit Duffy pass and his cross from the right picked out David McMillan who made no mistake with a close-range header.
The champions went in search of a second and Shane Supple raced from his line to smother a Duffy effort before Lorcan Fitzgerald did enough to stop the former Celtic winger from slamming home after Supple did well to push away a Dane Massey drive.
The Gypsies created their only opening of the half in the 34th minute when Jamie Doyle escaped the attentions of Brian Gartland to guide a left-footed half-volley towards goal but Gary Rogers got down to gather.
Supple was busy again just 90 seconds after the restart, throwing himself to his right to beat away Stephen O’Donnell’s fierce left-footed drive.
Things became scrappy after that with the home crowd becoming anxious but Duffy settled them down when he collected a pass from substitute Steven Kinsella and rifled home a daisy cutter from 25 yards that flew inside Supple’s near post.
Keith Long’s side had a Kaleem Simon goal disallowed in stoppage time but they never looked like retrieving the situation and now sit just two points above the drop zone.
DUNDALK: Rogers; Vemmelund, Gartland, Hoare, Massey; Shields, O'Donnell (Clifford 74); Duffy, McEleney (Stewart 86), McGrath (Kinsella 65); McMillan.
BOHEMIANS: Supple; Pender, Cornwall, Byrne, Fitzgerald; Kavanagh, Brennan, Morris, Sule (Ward 83), Simon; Doyle (Casey 69).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Attendance: 2,848.
