League Report: Bohemians 2 - 1 Dundalk

Bohemians climbed to second place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division with a 2-1 win over Premier Division title holders Dundalk at Dalymount Park on Friday evening.

Goals from Danny Grant and Keith Buckley put the Gypsies 2-0 up inside 15 minutes before a Michael Duffy header just before half time reduced the deficit to a single goal.

Dundalk actually started the brighter of the two sides with Stefan Colovic linking play from side-to-side very well. After six minutes, Colvic found Daniel Kelly on the right, he crossed for Pat Hoban, but his header was straight at Stephen McGuinness in the Bohs goal.

A minute later the home side took the lead against the run of play.

Bohs winger Kris Twardek did well to hold off a challenge from Sean Gannon before laying a ball back to full-back Anto Breslin. Breslin then curled an exquisite pass to the far post where Grant was waiting to head into the top corner of the Dundalk net.

Keith Long didn’t have to wait too long to see his side score again, as eight minutes after the first, a long ball from McGuinness found Twardek, he found Keith Ward, who laid the ball on for Buckley to side the ball past Rogers from 20 yards.

Three minutes later Bohs went in search of a third, as Ward found Lyons with a quick throw, but his effort went safely wide of the far post.

The pressure continued to come from the home side and after 24 minutes Wright tried his luck after receiving the ball from Grant, but his effort was deflected to safety.

Seven minutes later and Bohs created another good chance. This time JJ Lunney latched onto a Twardek pass before being denied from close range by the legs of Dundalk net-minder Rogers.

After 33 minutes Vinny Perth had seen enough and felt he needed to make a tactical substitution. He brought on John Mountney for Kelly and the Lillywhites began to get a foot hold in the game. The switch also involved Colovic moving to the right hand-side of midfield.

Just moments later Colovic was causing trouble from the right, curling a teasing ball for Hoban, but the striker failed to make contact at the far post.

Colovic would get another chance to cross from the right minutes later. This time he found Michael Duffy, who headed powerfully past McGuinness to give Perth’s side some hope.

Despite Dundalk going onto put more pressure on Bohs as the half came to a close, Bohs came close to restoring their two-goal cushion in first half stoppage time when Ward found Twardek on the left, he then crossed for Wright who saw his effort acrobatically tipped over the bar by the experienced Rogers.

Dundalk started the second period with the same intent they finished the first with.

Moments into the second half, Duffy found Hoban from theft, his header crashed off the cross-bar, before McGuinness denied Mountney from close range with the rebound.

Bohs had another chance to make it 3-1 after 54 minutes as Ward played an excellent 40- yard ball behind the Dundalk defence, Grant latched onto it before flashing an effort just wide from 12 yards.

Eight minutes later there was another scare for Dundalk. This time Twardek got on the end of another Keith Ward pass before seeing his closerange shot being well saved by an alert Rogers.

Dundalk had a chance with 20 minutes to go as Hoban headed a Duffy corner just wide at the far post.

Seven minutes later Daniel Cleary had a chance to equalise, as a Duffy free kick fell his way, but he sent his shot safely wide of the opposition goal.

Dundalk couldn’t create anything meaningful after that and Bohs held onto jump above them into second place in the Premier Division table.

Bohs lie just three points behind rival Shamrock Rovers who face Derry City at the Brandywell on Sunday.

Bohemians: Stephen McGuinness ; Anto Breslin , Dan Casey , Rob Cornwall , Andy Lyons ; Keith Buckley , JJ Lunney , Keith Ward (Dawson Devoy 71) ; Daniel Grant , Kris Twardek , Andre Wright .

Subs not used: Dinny Corcoran, James Finnerty, Ciaran Kelly, Conor Levingston, Promise Omochere, James Talbot.

Booked: Dan Casey (32), Dawson Devoy (84), Kris Twardek (86).

Sent off: None.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers ; Andy Boyle , Daniel Cleary , Sean Gannon , Dane Massey (Nathan Oduwa 87) ; Stefan Colovic , Jordan Flores (Will Patching 66) , Chris Shields ; Michael Duffy , Patrick Hoban , Daniel Kelly (John Mountney 33) .

Subs not used: Cameron Dummigan, Brian Gartland, Aaron McCarey,, Greg Sloggett.

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Referee: Neil Doyle

Attendance: 0.

ExtraTime.ie Player of the Match: Keith Ward (Bohemians).