TWO GOALS FROM Daryl Horgan ensured Dundalk extended their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League table with comfortable 2-0 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
The Louth men produced an efficient attacking performance to ensure two wins in a week in Dublin.
Stephen Kenny made one change from the side that overcame Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght last week with Robbie Benson coming in for injured captain Stephen O’Donnell.
And it was Kenny’s men who had the first clear-cut opportunity after two minutes.
Dave Mulcahy got caught underneath a long pass from Brian Gartland, who found Dave McMillan down the inside right channel, but the Dundalk forward’s tame shot was easily gathered by Dean Delany.
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The champions continued on the front foot having all of the early possession with Robbie Benson and Chris Shields controlling the tempo in the middle of the park but without creating too many openings.
A half-opportunity for the away side did see Ronan Finn force a corner for Dundalk, which resulted in Darren Meenan finding Dane Massey at the back post, but there was too much pace on the delivery for the left-back to force it under the bar.
It took until the half-hour mark before Bohemians began to come alive as Keith Buckley and Ben Mohamed sent in a couple of probing crosses.
Then Paddy Kavanagh found Buckley in space down the left on the counter and he surged into the box before Kavanagh received a return pass to see his shot deflected just wide.
Bohs continued to press as Ben Mohamed then found Kurtis Byrne down the inside-left channel, but he couldn’t find enough space for a meaningful effort as his weak left-foot shot rolled into Gary Rogers arms.
Then seven minutes before the break, Horgan produced the game’s standout moment.
A stray back pass across the back four was miscontrolled by Mulcahy on the edge of his own area.
Ronan Finn seized on the opportunity, as he outpaced the Bohs man, who had no option but to foul Finn, who was angered Mulcahy didn’t see red for the challenge, as he believed he was the last man.
But Finn was soon celebrating as from the resulting free-kick as Daryl Horgan unleashed an unstoppable right-footed strike into the top corner to give Dundalk the lead.
After the interval, the intensity dropped slightly, but Dundalk showed their class to change gears instantly.
Horgan produced another piece of magic as he bamboozled Derek Pender down the left and easily outpaced the Gypsies right-back, before crossing to the back post where substitute John Moutney rose highest. His header was blocked by Derek Prendergast, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Horgan from stooping low at the front post to head in a scrappy second.
On 78 minutes Bohs had their best chance of the night as Lorcan Fitzgerald swung in a corner with pace that was met by the head of Mark Quigley, whose powerful header was somehow prevented from crossing the line by Rogers, who palmed away the substitute’s effort.
Down the other end, Brian Gartland and stand-in captain Andy Boyle stood strong at the heart of Dundalks’s defence to ensure a fourth successive clean sheet for the Lilywhites.
BOHEMIANS: Dean Delany; Derek Pender(c), Derek Prendergast, Dave Mulcahy, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh(Mark Quigley,73), Roberto Lopes (Jake Kelly, 73), Keith Buckley, Daniel Byrne(Anto Murphy,84), Aymen Ben Mohamed; Kurtis Byrne.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle(c), Chris Shields; Daryl Horgan, Darren Meenan(John Moutney, 61), Robbie Benson(Paddy Barrett, 86), Ronan Finn, Dane Massey; Dave McMillan(Michael O’Connor,90).
Referee: Robert Harvey
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Horgan-inspired Dundalk too good for Bohs
Updated at 23.01
Bohs 0
Dundalk 2
TWO GOALS FROM Daryl Horgan ensured Dundalk extended their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League table with comfortable 2-0 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
The Louth men produced an efficient attacking performance to ensure two wins in a week in Dublin.
Stephen Kenny made one change from the side that overcame Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght last week with Robbie Benson coming in for injured captain Stephen O’Donnell.
And it was Kenny’s men who had the first clear-cut opportunity after two minutes.
Dave Mulcahy got caught underneath a long pass from Brian Gartland, who found Dave McMillan down the inside right channel, but the Dundalk forward’s tame shot was easily gathered by Dean Delany.
The champions continued on the front foot having all of the early possession with Robbie Benson and Chris Shields controlling the tempo in the middle of the park but without creating too many openings.
A half-opportunity for the away side did see Ronan Finn force a corner for Dundalk, which resulted in Darren Meenan finding Dane Massey at the back post, but there was too much pace on the delivery for the left-back to force it under the bar.
It took until the half-hour mark before Bohemians began to come alive as Keith Buckley and Ben Mohamed sent in a couple of probing crosses.
Then Paddy Kavanagh found Buckley in space down the left on the counter and he surged into the box before Kavanagh received a return pass to see his shot deflected just wide.
Bohs continued to press as Ben Mohamed then found Kurtis Byrne down the inside-left channel, but he couldn’t find enough space for a meaningful effort as his weak left-foot shot rolled into Gary Rogers arms.
Then seven minutes before the break, Horgan produced the game’s standout moment.
A stray back pass across the back four was miscontrolled by Mulcahy on the edge of his own area.
Ronan Finn seized on the opportunity, as he outpaced the Bohs man, who had no option but to foul Finn, who was angered Mulcahy didn’t see red for the challenge, as he believed he was the last man.
But Finn was soon celebrating as from the resulting free-kick as Daryl Horgan unleashed an unstoppable right-footed strike into the top corner to give Dundalk the lead.
After the interval, the intensity dropped slightly, but Dundalk showed their class to change gears instantly.
Horgan produced another piece of magic as he bamboozled Derek Pender down the left and easily outpaced the Gypsies right-back, before crossing to the back post where substitute John Moutney rose highest. His header was blocked by Derek Prendergast, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Horgan from stooping low at the front post to head in a scrappy second.
On 78 minutes Bohs had their best chance of the night as Lorcan Fitzgerald swung in a corner with pace that was met by the head of Mark Quigley, whose powerful header was somehow prevented from crossing the line by Rogers, who palmed away the substitute’s effort.
Down the other end, Brian Gartland and stand-in captain Andy Boyle stood strong at the heart of Dundalks’s defence to ensure a fourth successive clean sheet for the Lilywhites.
BOHEMIANS: Dean Delany; Derek Pender(c), Derek Prendergast, Dave Mulcahy, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh(Mark Quigley,73), Roberto Lopes (Jake Kelly, 73), Keith Buckley, Daniel Byrne(Anto Murphy,84), Aymen Ben Mohamed; Kurtis Byrne.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle(c), Chris Shields; Daryl Horgan, Darren Meenan(John Moutney, 61), Robbie Benson(Paddy Barrett, 86), Ronan Finn, Dane Massey; Dave McMillan(Michael O’Connor,90).
Referee: Robert Harvey
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SSE Airtricity League Premier Division League of Ireland LOI Report Bohemians Dundalk