Bohemians 3 - 0 Finn Harps

They say the mark of champions is winning matches even when you're not at your best and that certainly proved to be the case at Dalymount Park on Friday night as three late goals provided Bohemians with all three points against a plucky Finn Harps.

Despite proving more than a match for the home side in the opening hour of this match, Harps were put to the sword by second-half goals from Jason McGuinness, Glen Crowe and Gary Deegan. Despite the defeat, UCD's home defeat to Sligo Rovers means that Paul Hegarty's men remain four points clear of the relegation zone.

For much of this game Bohs were a shadow of the side that has swept aside all and sundry on the domestic scene this year. Nevertheless, the win extends Bohs unbeaten run in the league to 24 matches and maintains their thirteen point lead at the top of the eircom Premier League. With seven games remaining they now require just nine more points to be guaranteed of their first title since 2003.

Bohs may have won ten games on the spin going in to this game but that didn't stop manager Pat Fenlon from ringing the changes. Anthony Murphy returned having been cup-tied for the 6-1 hammering of Wayside Celtic, with Brendan McGill dropping to the bench. Mindaugas Kalonas replaced Neale Fenn in attack, while Stephen O'Donnell came in for the injured Mark Rossiter in midfield and Killian Brennan took the place of John Paul Kelly, who didn't even make the bench. Glen Crowe started in attack in place of Jason Byrne.

For Harps, Gary Beckett lined out in midfield in place of the suspended Neil McAfferty, while the injured Jonathan Minnock was replaced by Declan Boyle in defence.

With the men from Donegal still fighting for their Premier Division lives in a four-way battle at the bottom, and Bohs looking to pick up the final few points they need to claim their first league title since 2003, a cagey start to this encounter was perhaps unsurprising. However, while 43 points and eight places may have separated these two sides in the league before the game, Harps proved more than a match for the home side in an opening half hour which produced only half chances for either side.

Harps were the first to threaten in the tenth minute when Sean McGowan shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area following good work down the right from Chris Breen.

Bohs created their first chance on 11 minutes when Kalonas, on his first start since starring for Lithuania on international duty, drove a powerful half-volley from 22 yards which fell straight into the arms of Harps 'keeper James Gallagher.

Harps were far from intimidated by the task at hand and continued to threaten down the flanks. On 14 minutes David Tyrell's cross from the left deflected out to Michael Funston but his scuffed shot trundled harmlessly wide of Brian Murphy's right hand post.

Bohs may have scored nine goals in their previous two outings but they were finding the Harps defence in a particularly stubborn mood. Glen Crowe tried his luck with a volley from a tight angle on 21 minutes but Gallagher again saved with ease. With Bohs struggling to break them down, Harps were growing in confidence too and they came agonisingly close to taking the lead just moments before half time when Beckett's long range effort cannoned off the top of the crossbar with Brian Murphy well beaten.

Fenlon no doubt had a few choice words for his charges at the interval but they continued to lack any real spark after the break. They were almost made to pay for their lacklustre play just before the hour mark when Breen's angled cross-field ball fell straight to Steven Parkhouse who blazed his volley over from 18 yards.

With Bohs struggling to put the Harps defence under any real pressure, Fenlon introduced Fenn for the disappointing Anthony Murphy, with the former Cork City striker joining Crowe and Kalonas in a three-pronged attack. That change seemed to inject a sense of urgency into the home side and McGuinness thought he had had put his side in front on 64 minutes, but his goal-bound header was cleared of the line. Despite the let-off, Harps failed to learn their lesson, however, and from the resulting corner McGuinness was again allowed to meet the ball unchallenged, only this time his header had a little more height on it and sailed in to the roof of the net.

Glen Crowe wrapped up the points for Bohs on 75 minutes when he nodded home from six yards following some slack defending from Harps. Deegan then added gloss to the scoreline with the best goal of the game. McGuinness nodded Brennan's corner down to the feet of Fenn who, with his back to goal, juggled the ball before laying the ball off to Deegan on the edge of the area who rifled the ball low into the corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Bohemian: Brian Murphy; Owen Heary, Liam Burns, Jason McGuinness, Conor Powell; Anthony Murphy (Neale Fenn 62), Stephen O'Donnell, Gary Deegan, Killian Brennan; Glen Crowe (Jason Byrne 84), Mindaugas Kalonas (Brendan McGill 80).
Subs Not Used: Chris Konopka, Thomas Heary.

Booked: None.

Fin Harps: James Gallagher; Mark Mukendi, Aaron Labonte, Declan Boyle, Sean Holmes; Chris Breen, Michael Funston, Shaun McGowan (Austin Friel 80), David Tyrell (Christy Connaghan 80); Steven Parkhouse, Gary Beckett (Paddy Bonner 87).
Subs Not Used: Gavin Cullen, Stuart Malcolm.

Booked: Beckett (65)

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Attendance: 1,178