Bohemians 0 - 2 Dundalk

Goals in either half from Tiarnan Mulvenna and Richie Towell against Bohemians on Friday night ensured Dundalk continued their 100% record away from home this season.

The Louth side dominated from the outset, with goalkeeper Peter Cherrie rarely troubled throughout the 90 minutes.

Aaron Callaghan’s side made two changes from the team that were beaten by Limerick in Thomond Park on Tuesday. Karl Moore and Stephen Paisley came into the team in place of Keith Buckley and Dave Mulcahy.

Stephen Kenny’s side came to Dublin with 100% record on the road this season and they made just one change from the side that lost to Derry last Friday with Tiarnan Mulvenna replacing Kurtis Byrne up front.

The visitors dictated the first half and should have led by more than the 1-0 scoreline at the break. Their first chance came on four minutes when a mix up in the Bohs defence saw John Dillon’s audacious lob beat everyone but the crossbar.

The Gypsies only first half chance came on nine minutes, when Ryan McEvoy’s free kick was comfortably saved by Peter Cherrie.

The Lilywhites breakthrough came on twenty minutes when a Richie Towell free-kick from 30 yards was parried by Dean Delany into the path of Tiarnan Mulvenna who fired to the roof of the net.

That lead should have been doubled four minutes later when the excellent Mulvenna got behind the Bohs defence only to see his left footed effort tipped wide by Delany. Bohs failed to clear the corner and Dillon almost capitalized, forcing another acrobatic save from Delany.

The Louth side looked dangerous from set pieces and manager Stephen Kenny must have been wondering how they failed to double their advantage on 29 minutes when Mulvenna somehow headed Keith Ward’s free kick wide from six yards out.

Dundalk were utterly dominant for the majority of the half and a second goal would have been just reward for that dominance. Towell did his best to oblige on the stroke of half time, his arrow of a shot from the right failed to curl enough to find its way inside Delany’s right hand post.

The visitors started the second half as they finished the first, again attacking at will and causing problems for the Bohs defence. Delany was again to the rescue on 49 minutes when Mulvenna got on the end of a wonderful threaded ball from Ward, his shot was destined for the back of the net but for a strong hand from the Gypsies shot stopper.

The introduction of Chris Lyons and Dave Scully at half time added a focal point to the home sides attack, but even with their energy they failed to trouble Cherrie in the Dundalk goal.

It was turning into the Mulvenna versus Delany show and the next act came on 70 minutes when Stephen O’Donnell played a superb through ball to the striker who was again denied by the Bohs keeper.

The Gypsies Number One was eventually beaten for the second time on 79 minutes, a clearance header landed at the feet of Towell thirty yards out, his speculative shot deflected off Roberto Lopes on the ground and skewed agonisingly into the far corner past the hapless Delany.

Substitute Darren Meenan benefited from a ricochet on 81 minutes, but his attempt from 12 yards couldn’t find the target.

Bohs looked sluggish all evening but can take solace from the return to fitness of striker Chris Lyons who missed the past month through injury. Lyons danced his way around three Dundalk defenders on 85 minutes but his powerful shot could not trouble Cherrie.

The final minutes were dictated by Dundalk with the authority they had shown for the entire evening. Their run of wins on the road, and in Dublin have extended to four, the capital has become their home away from home.

Bohemians: Dean Delany; Michael Barker, Roberto Lopes, Stephen Paisley, Luke Byrne; Karl Moore, Derek Pender, Shane Murray (Dave Scully 46), Ryan McEvoy (Conor O’Brien 75), Ciaran Nangle; Kevin Devaney (Chris Lyons 46).
Subs not used: Keith Buckley, Michael Scott, Greg Murray, Shane Fitzgerald.

Booked: Byrne (43), Lopes (71), Scully (73), O’Brien (76).

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; John Sullivan, Andy Boyle, Mark Rossiter, Dane Massey; John Dillon, Richard Towell, Stephen O’Donnell, Keith Ward (John Mountney 64); Tiarnan Mulvenna (Darren Meenan 70), Vinny Faherty (Pat Hoban 80).
Subs not used: Kurtis Byrne, Stephen McDonnell, Sami Osobi,  Aaron Shanahan.

Booked: Sullivan (15). Ward (25), Meenan (85).

Referee: Tomas Connolly.

Attendance: 1,405.

Extratime Man of the Match: Tiarnan Mulvenna (Dundalk) - Excellent throughout, could have had a hat-trick if not for the efforts of Dean Delany in the Bohs goal.