Dundalk 2 Bohemians 1
Stunning strikes from Sam Stanton and Patrick Hoban in either half saw Dundalk lift themselves out of the promotion/relegation play-off spot with a brilliant win over Bohemians at Oriel Park on Monday.
The two screamers in either half proved enough to see Vinny Perth’s side leapfrog Waterford into eighth place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table despite a Tyreke Wilson strike setting up a frantic finale.
This result means the Lilywhites have won back-to-back league games for the first time since June while it also puts a huge dent in Bohemians’ bid for Europe as they remain seven points adrift of third-placed Sligo Rovers, albeit with a game more to play.
The home side were on top for much of the first half with Seán Murray hitting the post from Darragh Leahy’s cross on 14 minutes
They then took the lead on 44 minutes.
Michael Duffy played a superb ball into the box for Stanton to race onto with the Scottish midfielder brilliantly spinning away from James Finnerty before unleashing an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net.
Stanton then almost doubled his tally on 59 minutes when he was picked out yet again by Duffy but his effort deflected agonisingly wide. Hoban would make it 2-0 from the resultant corner though as he sent a brilliant half volley to the bottom left hand corner after the ball broke to him at the edge of the area.
Bohs almost responded immediately on the hour mark when Liam Burt broke to the endline on the left before pulling the ball back to Georgie Kelly at the edge of the six yard box but somehow the league’s top scorer fired over.
The visitors then had Talbot to thank for keeping them in the game on 63 minutes when he made a superb double save, firstly to push Hoban’s effort onto the post before saving the follow up header from Murray.
That was to prove crucial as the Gypsies pulled a goal back on 71 minutes when Wilson squeezed a shot past Peter Cherrie at his near post from the left side of the penalty area.
Rory Feely had the best chance to level matters as Bohs pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but Cherrie was equal to it as Dundalk held out for what could be a big result in their battle to avoid the drop.
Dundalk: Cherrie; Dummigan, Cleary, Boyle, Leahy; Sloggett (Jurkovskis 50), Stanton; Ben Amar (Han 72), Murray (Nattestad 87), Duffy; Hoban.
Bohemians: Talbot; Feely, Finnerty (Cornwall HT), Kelly, Wilson; Levingston (Mullins 79), Buckley (Coote HT); Burt, Devoy, Tierney; Kelly.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).
