League Report: Dundalk 2 - 1 Bohemians

Dundalk secured their third consecutive SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title with two games to spare with a 2-1 win over Bohemians at Oriel Park.

In front of the biggest crowd to attend Oriel this season, goals from defensive duo Andy Boyle and Brian Gartland ensured The Lilywhites became only the fourth team ever to achieve this feat. Stephen Kenny will be relieved to have wrapped up the league championship so quickly, with their attention now entirely on the FAI Cup final in two weeks and the Europa League.

Kenny made three changes from the side which were bravely defeated by Zenit St Petersburg just three days beforehand with Gary Rogers returning in goal the big talking point.

John Mountney, who was a doubt for this match due to a back problem, also started in place of Thursday’s scorer Robbie Benson while Alan Keane started at right-full in place of Sean Gannon, who didn’t make the matchday squad due to injury.

Bohemians also changed their keeper as Shane Supple returned to the starting eleven with Keith Long making a total of four changes while long-term absentee Ishmahil Akinade returned to the bench much earlier than expected.

The Gypsies were reasonably comfortable in the first ten minutes, looking intent on spoiling any potential celebrations, Long insistent having been insistent earlier in the week that his side weren’t just travelling up the M1 to be “bridesmaids at their (Dundalk’s) wedding.”

The game’s first chance came in the 13th minute when Daryl Horgan’s excellent cross from the left was headed down by David McMillan who forced Supple into a decent save.

That seemed to get the bumper crowd at Oriel Park going and Ronan Finn was next to test his luck when he battled his way through the Bohs defence before his attempt on goal was deflected out by Lorcan Fitzgerald with quarter of an hour played.

Dundalk took the lead from the resulting corner when Patrick McEleney found McMillan who headed the ball onto captain Andy Boyle to volley home from close range, his third league goal of the season.

Bohs took 27 minutes to create their first opening when Dean O’Halloran dispossessed Chris Shields but Kurtis Byrne’s shot sailed well over the bar.

Oriel Park had a party atmosphere at this stage but the natives were stunned into silence a couple of minutes later when Neil Doyle awarded a penalty to the visitors, adjudging Finn to have fouled Keith Buckley when there appeared to be minimal contact.

It was Mark Quigley who stepped up to take the spot kick and he sent Rogers the wrong way to equalise for the visitors – cue muted celebrations from the former Dundalk player.

Finn should have restored Dundalk’s lead two minutes before the break but he shot over the bar after an exquisite ball from McMillan. That was before McEleney’s cross-cum-shot had Supple troubled but the sides went in level at half-time.

The hosts kept possession for large spells but struggled to create much directly after the restart and Benson made his introduction close to the hour mark to add some craft to the Dundalk midfield. He went very close with an overhead kick just after Horgan’s shot was tipped onto the woodwork by Supple.

Supple was less convincing a few minutes later when he made a hash of Dane Massey’s free-kick, flapping under pressure from McMillan but Boyle couldn’t punish the error as Dundalk huffed and puffed in search of a winner.

Three minutes later they did just that when Brian Gartland, who has been indispensable to Dundalk’s success over the past three years, powered home his seventh league goal of the season after Finn’s free-kick was headed across goal by Massey.

Dundalk endured a nervy last half-hour but Bohs never really threatened to spoil the party and the Lilywhites held out to win the championship again as their status as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, ever League of Ireland teams is now assured.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Alan Keane, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; John Mountney (Robbie Benson 55), Chris Shields, Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan; Patrick McEleney (Darren Meenan 71), David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 81).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Paddy Barrett, Shane Grimes, Dean Shiels.

Booked: None.

Bohemians: Shane Supple; Lorcan Fitzgerald, Dan Byrne, Derek Prendergast, Derek Pender; Patrick Kavanagh, Roberto Lopes, Mark Quigley (Dean Casey 83), Keith Buckley; Dean O’Halloran (Eoin Wearen 72), Kurtis Byrne.

Subs not used: Dean Delany, Dylan Hayes, Warren O’Hara, Jake Kelly, Ishmahil Akinade.

Booked: Dean O’Halloran (38), Patrick Kavanagh (42), Derek Prendergast (59), Roberto Lopes (63), Derek Pender (82)

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Attendance: 4,637.

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Chris Shields (Dundalk).