DUNDALK’S RUN HALTED
BRILLIANT Bohemians last night smashed Dundalk’s domestic 31match unbeaten run to all but secure their place in Europe next season.
Vinny Perth’s Lilywhites will be seeking to complete the treble in the FAI Cup final on November 3 but won’t head to Lansdowne Road with their peerless record intact.
A goal in each half from Luke Wade-Slater and Andre Wright did the damage to clinch a fulldeserved win for the Gypsies. Substitute Michael Duffy pulled back a consolation with the last kick of the game.
Keith Long stuck with the same side that produced the goods last time out in the 1-0 win over Cork City.
With top scorer Pat Hoban servthrough ing a one-match ban, there was a rare start in attack for Georgie Kelly. Perth made four other changes too, a flu bug contributing to three of their regulars dropping to the bench.
On top of that, the Dundalk boss triggered a surprise switch in formation – a defensive line led by three centre-backs.
It allowed Cameron Dummigan on the right and Dane Massey on the opposite left flank licence to roam forward, though one of their central midfielders got on the end of the first chance.
On 10 minutes, Sean Murray ghosted into the box to get a sight on goal but Scott Allardice did enough to force him into a tame effort at James Talbot.
Bohs were struggling to ruffle the trio of centre-backs but found joy another route for the breakthrough. Left-winger Danny Grant looked up to spot Luke Wade-Slater haring into space and delivered a perfectlyweighted crossfield pass.
With Massey more advanced than usual, he was unable to track the run of the midfielder, though Gary Rogers made the job easier by racing outside of his area. Wade-Slater had the simple task of rolling his first-time shot along the turf into an empty net.
It was the first time for the Lilywhites to fall behind in the league since July and they should have conceded again in first-half stoppage time.
When Sean Hoare was dispossessed by Keith Ward, the schemer had a run on goal but opted to check back onto his right foot before hoisting his shot a yard over.
By that stage, Bohs had lost defender Rob Cornwall – stretchered off with a dislocated knee but was back in Dalymount on his feet before the final whistle.
Dundalk have averaged more than two goals per game this season but were struggling for potency. From the one real chance they got between the two goals, Georgie Kelly wasn’t quick enough to capitalise on Bohs keeper James Talbot spilling a right-wing cross.
Apart from that, a couple of speculative shots from Hoare and Murray early in the second half that hardly tested Talbot were the best they could muster.
Perth had enough, thrusting two of his flu victims, Michael Duffy and Sean Gannon, into the fray on the hour mark.
The expected onslaught for an equaliser didn’t come. Instead, a second from Bohs did four minutes later.
Rather than Dundalk snuffing out a Bohs move, Hoare allowed the ball stray from his control and Wright took full control. Though the striker was still 25 yards from goal, he rifled the loose ball low and hard under the grasp of Rogers.
Teenager Ross Tierney, producing another exceptional display in midfield, almost grabbed a third with a shot he sliced wide. Dundalk finally got one back at the death through Duffy’s closerange finish.
BOHEMIANS: J Talbot; D Pender R Cornwall (A Barry 44), J Finnerty, P Kirk; R Tierney, S Allardice; L Wade-Slater, K Ward (D Devoy 82), D Grant; A Wright (R Swan 90). Scorers: Wade-Slater 28, Wright 64
DUNDALK: G Rogers; D Cleary, S Hoare (L Lotefa 72), A Boyle; C Dummigan, R Benson, S Murray, J McGrath (M Duffy 60), D Massey; D Kelly (S Gannon 60), G Kelly. Scorer: Duffy 94.
Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork).