LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION: Dundalk 0 Bohemians 1:WITH AN hour or so to go to kick-off they were still working frantically behind the scenes to have everything ready for this, Dundalk's first top-flight match in seven years. On the pitch things may take a little longer to get quite right but if this encounter with last year's runaway champions is anything to go by then staying safely up should be well within the home side's capabilities.

Dundalk had a handful of half-chances during the 90 minutes while one of the few real glimpses of class shown by Bohemians yielded a goal for Joseph Ndo on his debut for the Dubliners.

Though lively for spells, it all got under way at a gentle enough pace with Dundalk’s greater familiarity with the plastic playing surface probably accounting for the difference between the sides over the opening 35 minutes or so. Pat Fenlon had had his men training on plastic in Dublin through the week and was unimpressed by the experience but by the end of the first period here Bohemians seemed to be getting to grips with things as Anto Murphy and then Glen Crowe threatened to put the league champions in front.

For the bulk of the opening half, though, it was the home side who shaded things. George O’Callaghan looked energetic and inventive up front while Thomas Heary and co generally looked solid across the back. The bite Michael Collins will add in between was missing, however, as the former Newry City midfielder’s international clearance hadn’t come through in time.

Given their record last season, there is no great shame in failing to score against Bohemians and Dundalk manager Seán Connor did have injury problems in the striking department but Declan O’Brien made little impact against Owen Heary and Jason McGuinness and when the crosses eventually started to hit the danger area late on it was Chris Turner, racing forward from midfield, who looked most likely to find the target against his former team.

Late on the crowd reckoned Tiarnan Mulvenna should have had a penalty but referee Dave McKeon, who was well placed to see it, disagreed and the young player made very little of it even if his manager was sent to the stand for his protests.

That and a header turned narrowly over by Turner after a fine sweeping move down the right was as close as Dundalk came to sending their fans home happy although the mood as they departed might well have been worse had Ndo’s crack at a second not been hooked off the line by Simon Kelly 13 minutes from time.

The former Cameroon international did well enough throughout the game but he made a marked impact when shifted up front to replace Crowe as the game moved past the hour mark. Suddenly the home side’s defence were under real pressure with the former Shelbourne man’s strength and movement proving a real handful.

His goal was well put together with Owen Heary picking up the ball from his goalkeeper and carrying it unchallenged some 10 metres into the Dundalk half of the pitch. Ndo was already calling for it and though the situation didn’t look all that promising at first, when the high cross came in he powered his way up between Thomas Heary and Simon Kelly to send a looping header over Chris Bennion and into the net.

It was a hard lesson for the locals but a worthwhile one perhaps if they learn from it and build on the overall level of commitment shown while, ideally, retaining possession a little more effectively.

The champions, meanwhile, will go home happy and with good reason. A handful of those who played here, not least Killian Brennan, Crowe and Paul Keegan, should shift up a gear or two over the coming weeks but another half a dozen contenders for places in the team were missing leaving Fenlon unable to even fill his bench.

Not that it seemed to matter after what had looked a tricky start to the campaign yielded three points and a first clean sheet.

DUNDALK: Bennion; Simon Kelly, Heary, Burns, Rogers; Shaun Kelly, Turner, Daly, Singh; O'Brien (Mulvenna, 81 mins), O'Callaghan.

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Murphy, Heary, McGuinness, Rossiter; Ndo, Cronin (Carey, 78 mins), Keegan, Brennan; Crowe (Deegan, 60 mins), Fenn.

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).