League Report: Dudalk 3 - 0 Bohemians

It was indeed a good Friday for Dundalk as they recorded an emphatic 3-0 win over Bohemians in front of what was a very strong attendance at Oriel Park.

On a night when Dundalk broke a League of Ireland record for most consecutive clean sheets at the start of a season, it was goals from Patrick Hoban, Sean Gannon and Michael Duffy that ensured the Lilywhites collected all three points as well as continuing their eight-match unbeaten run.

Stephen Kenny made two changes from the team which won at Sligo Rovers last weekend with both Stephen Folan and Krisztian Adorjan coming in, while Dan Byrne and Keith Ward were the only survivors from the Bohemians side that knocked Cabinteely out of the EA Sports Cup on Monday.

The Lilywhites hadn’t conceded a league goal in over ten hours of football coming into this match and their goalkeeper Gary Rogers has certainly been conducive in achieving that feat, but he was forced off inside the first ten minutes due to a calf injury and was replaced by Gabriel Sava.

At the other end though, the hosts were almost gifted the lead when Bohs keeper Shane Supple scuffed an attempted kick out following a poor back pass from Dan Casey, but Patrick Hoban couldn’t take full advantage of the mistake and fired his effort over the bar from close range.

Dundalk did take the lead after Krisztian Adorjan was absolutely clattered into by Casey in the box, leaving referee Graham Kelly with little choice but to point to the spot – Hoban made no mistake from the resulting penalty, sending Supple the wrong way to score his fifth goal of the season.

One indeed became two just past the half-hour mark, when an excellent ball from Jamie McGrath set up the scampering Sean Gannon on the right before he delightfully slotted the ball under the despairing Supple to score what was his first of the campaign, doubling the host’s advantage.

Stephen Kenny’s team were on fire now and a brilliant cross from Gannon was headed into the arms of Supple by Hoban, before Michael Duffy – who was truly outstanding on the night – broke on the left, beating two defenders before unleashing a shot which was again saved by the Bohs keeper.

Bohemians finally had their first effort on goal soon after the restart when Keith Ward’s speculative long range shot almost caught out Sava, hitting the underside of the bar before the stand-in keeper gratefully gathered at the second attempt as Keith Long’s side looked to get back into the game.

Adorjan did well on what was his first league start for the club and he was next to try his luck, with the Hungarian’s shot from just outside the box being pushed around the post by Supple, before the lively Gannon’s rasping shot fizzed just wide as Dundalk went in search for that killer third goal.

The visitors were left aggrieved when they were denied what looked to be a stonewall penalty ten minutes from time after Dundalk skipper Dane Massey clearly fouled Bohs substitute Daniel Grant who, perhaps to his own detriment, stayed on his feet as referee Kelly waved away the appeals.

Bohs almost pulled one goal back when a goalmouth scramble resulted in Dinny Corcoran’s effort being blocked on the line by Chris Shields before somehow finding its way into the grateful arms of Sava, as Dundalk came close to missing out on breaking that aforementioned clean sheet record.

Duffy has been a revelation since making his return to the SSE Airtricity League just over one year ago, and he deservedly got himself on the scoresheet deep into stoppage time, excellently turning his man before drilling a low shot past Supple following a nice low cross from Gannon on the right.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers (Gabriel Sava 9); Sean Gannon, Daniel Cleary, Stephen Folan, Dane Massey; Jamie McGrath, Robbie Benson (John Mountney 88), Chris Shields, Michael Duffy; Krisztian Adorjan (Stephen O’Donnell 76), Patrick Hoban.

Subs not used: Dean Jarvis, Dylan Connolly, Sam Byrne, Marco Tagbajumi.

Booked: Hoban (60), Benson (64).

Bohemians: Shane Supple; Keith Buckley, Dan Casey (Dylan Watts 46), Dan Byrne, Darragh Leahy; Oscar Brennan, Paddy Kavanagh (Danny Grant 76), Ian Morris, Karl Moore (Eoghan Stokes 63); Keith Ward, Dinny Corcoran.

Subs not used: Colin McCabe, John Ross Wilson, JJ Lunney, Philip Gannon.

Booked: Kavanagh (52).

Referee: Graham Kelly

Attendance: 3,263

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Michael Duffy (Dundalk)