Airtricity League Premier Division: Bohemians 1 Dundalk 1
Daryl Horgan’s fourth goal in five games punished Bohemians who just couldn’t make their superiority pay as they had to settle for a hugely frustrating point in a match they could so easily have lost at Dalymount Park.
Despite owning the ball for large spells of the game, Alan Reynolds’s side couldn’t build on Ross Tierney’s early lead.
Former Ireland international Horgan soon punished sloppy defending to level in a frenetic first half.
Bohemians thus failed to add to the positivity of last week’s big FAI Cup win over arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers, meaning it’s now just one win in 12 league games, and none in their last seven, as they remain four points ahead of Dundalk in the relegation playoff spot.
In an action-packed opening to the game Dundalk defender Mayo Animasahun was fortunate to receive just a yellow card for a blatant shoulder charge into Jordan Flores as the Bohemians skipper went to clear a free-kick.
Minutes later Tierney was thwarted by Felix Goddard when Leigh Kavanagh’s long ball over the top put him in one-on-one with the Dundalk goalkeeper.
Bohs were then unhappy at not being awarded a penalty when Tierney looked to have been tripped by Daniel Pike.
An overhit back pass by Cian Byrne gave Dundalk their first sight of goal with goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka scampering to toe-poke the ball away from the onrushing Horgan.
The action soon resumed at the other end, Goddard well positioned to comfortably gather shots from Alex Greive and Tierney in turn as Bohs pinned Dundalk in their own half.
And that pressure paid off in the 18th minute.
Dayle Rooney was the architect on the right wing, crossing into the area for Tierney to find the net with a first-time volley, despite Goddard getting his hands to the shot, to mark his first goal since returning to the club earlier in the summer.
The relentless pressure from Bohs was maintained as they had a second strong appeal for a penalty not entertained when Martin Miller looked to have been tripped by Scott McGill.
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For all their dominance, however, Bohemians coughed up a poor equaliser on 27 minutes.
Jamie Gullan skipped past Kavanagh all too easily down the right. And though his cross was cut out by Greive, the ball ran kindly for Horgan to drill it to the net through Chorazka’s legs.
Despite that setback, Bohemians maintained their onslaught on the Dundalk goal, Miller getting forward to work a one-two with Greive only to shoot narrowly wide.
The impressive Tierney then made space on the edge of the area to crash a drive off Goddard’s right-hand post, Bohemians trooping off for the interval ruing the fact that they were not several goals ahead.
Adding to the frustration of home fans was yet another penalty shout going unanswered midway through the second half when Tierney was pushed over by Dundalk skipper John Mountney as the visitors maintained their dogged defence.
A rare foray forward on 78 minutes then should have seen Dundalk snatch the lead. Jad Hakiki linked with fellow substitute Robbie Mahon only to blaze over the top from 12 yards out.
Mahon subsequently brought the save of the game from Chorazka while Eoin Kenny shot off target deep into added time as Bohs were left cursing their failure to make anything of 10 corners in the second half.
In the night’s only other game, bottom of the table Drogheda United beat Waterford 2-0 at Weavers Park, a first win in 11 games edging them to within three points of Louth neighbours Dundalk.
Drogheda took the lead on 15 minutes from a goal Waterford won’t want to see again. Goalkeeper Louis Jones, on his debut, caught a flicked header by Andy Quinn from an Elicha Ahui long throw.
But he collided with one of his defenders and dropped the ball with Frantz Pierrot pouncing to shoot to the net.
Adam Foley added Drogheda’s second goal a minute from time.
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Miller (Smith, 79), Kavanagh, Byrne, Kirk; McDonnell (Clarhe, 66), Flores; Rooney, Tierney, Grant (McDaid, 79); Greive (Akintunde, 66).
DUNDALK: Goddard; Mountney, Animasahan, Faulkner, Pike; McGill (Hadiki, 57), Dervin; Horgan, Benson, O’Kane (Mahon, 75); Gullan (Kenny, 83).
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea (Tipperary).
Attendance: 4,239.
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