Bohemian FC 0

Galway United 1

Darryl Geraghty reports from Dalymount Park

10-MAN GALWAY UNITED leapfrogged Bohemians to go fourth in the table on goal difference with an impressive performance in front 4,101 at Dalymount Park.

Maurice Nugent’s first-half strike proved enough to take all three points out west despite playing the last half-hour with 10-men.

Failing to build on the momentum gathered in an impressive performance against their fiercest rivals three days previous, which can happen with such a quick turnaround, the Gypsies took command of the ball early on in a relatively flat performance.

And to their credit, the physically-imposing visitors, whose last defeat came in Alan Reynold’s first win at Eamonn Deacy Park, grew into the game and looked a threat every time the ball went into the area.

With a quarter-of-an-hour gone, and a better connection from talisman Stephen Walsh, they might have taken the lead.

Five minutes later, it was the visitors who deservedly hit the front when Maurice Nugent cut in from the endline before unleashing a powerful strike to the near post. Bohs stopper Kacper Chorazka did well to get down to the initial shot but then saw the ball spin up and over him, eventually creeping over the line.

The natives were growing restless and with a half-an-hour gone, it could have been worse as David Hurley’s delicately clipped free kick from the edge of the area narrowly missed the top corner.

But as the half drew to a close, the home side lifted the spirits with a couple of threatening corners, the most dangerous of which saw Paddy Kirk cut in and test Brendan Clarke with a low strike.

Furious Bohs boss Reynolds had seen enough and hauled off Danny Grant, Dylan Connolly and Michel Lilander at half time, sending out a clear message to both players and fans alike that he expected more.

The changes did little to change things on the field as the impressive visitors tested Chorazka twice from distance through Hurley and McCarthy after the break, but their challenge was made all the more difficult on the hour-mark when Karl O’Sullivan received his marching orders for a second yellow card.

The hosts huffed and puffed, creating a couple of good situations but skipper Clarke remained relatively untested in the Galway goal. James Akintunde failed to connect with a header from close range from James Clarke’s cross from the left and had a shout for a penalty when Killian Brouder collided with the Englishman in the area.

In a last roll of the dice, the Gypsies threw on Sten Reinkort to get two big men up top but frustratingly failed to create anything from wide, with cross after cross being cleared much to the ire of the home support.

But to their immense credit 10-man Galway held firm to earn a massive three points — and extend their unbeaten run to six in the league.

Bohemian FC: Kacper Chorazka; Michael Lilander (Luke Matheson, 45’), Jevon Mills, Aboubacar Keita (Declan McDaid, 65’), Paddy Kirk; Jordan Flores, Adam McDonnell; Danny Grant (Martin Miller, 45’), James Clarke (Sten Reinkort, 79’) , Dylan Connolly (Filip Piszczek, 45’); James Akintunde.

Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Esua, Rob Slevin, Killian Brouder, Al-Amin Kazeem (Conor O’Keefe, 79’); Patrick Hickey (Conor McCormack, 70’), Maurice Nugent (Vincent Borden, 55’); Ed McCarthy, David Hurley (Leonardo Gaxha, 79’), Karl O’Sullivan; Stephen Walsh.

Referee: Paul Norton.