Hoare on fire as Dundalk stay top
DUNDALK kept their two-point lead at the top of the table with a hard fought win over Bohs at Dalymount Park. The league’s top scorer Pat Hoban got the early strike while Sean Hoare wrapped up the win with a goal seven minutes from time.
Hoban was on hand to put the Lilywhites into a four-minute lead. The striker calmly slotted home with his right boot on the edge of the six-yard box as Bohs couldn’t deal with a deep Dundalk cross.
Hoare, as he did for much of the match, was quick to get forward. His deep cross was headed back by Michael Duffy into the path of Hoban who got his 12th goal of the season.
The Gypsies went with three-atthe-back which turned into a back five for much of the half. Dundalk’s Duffy on the left and Dylan Connolly on the right pegged the Bohs wing backs in.
The league leaders dominated possession but Bohs did come into the game midway through the half with Dylan Watts their standout player. He linked up well with Eoghan Stokes and Dinny Corcoran in front of him.
However, their best chance fell to defender Rob Cornwall who got forward to unleash a shot that he couldn’t get on target.
Twice Hoare shot from distance for Dundalk and both times he had Shane Supple in the Bohs goal scrambling. One shot flew over the bar while the other whizzed past the post.
Supple pulled off a smart save to touch over a Duffy header from a Hoare cross just before the half hour mark.
There was a big shout for a Bohs goal right on half time. Corcoran’s deft touch took the ball goalwards by Gary Rogers.
Chris Shields slid in to save Dundalk as Corcoran claimed the ball had gone over the line, however referee Paul McLaughlin waved play on though.
Bohs had the best of the early second-half chances. Corcoran set up Watts who tried to lob the advancing Rogers but he couldn’t quite clear the goalkeeper.
Oscar Brennan tried from distance before Watts did likewise just before the hour mark. Rogers did well to touch the ball away as it curled towards the inside of the post.
On 70 minutes, the visiting fans thought their team had gone 2-0 up. Duffy’s free kick beat the Bohs wall but hit the side netting outside the post.
Stokes should have done better with his tame effort on 73 minutes for Bohs.
A minute later somehow Duffy’s effort clipped the cross bar from six yards off to go over off another quality Hoare cross.
Duffy went close again with his effort requiring Supple to touch the ball around the post for a corner on 83 minutes. That set piece eventually came to Hoare who headed home the second to wrap up all three points for Dundalk’s third league win in a row.