AKINTUNDE GETS JOB DUN
Substitute sends Bohs ? up to third in table ?
A GAEL force blew through Dalymount Park last night as Dayle Rooney stepped off the bench to step on the gas and push Bohs up to third.
It was Rooney’s arrival, along with fellow subs Declan McDaid and Oluwaseun Akintunde, that swung this match in the Gypsies favour.
And sure enough 10 minutes from time, the Rooney/Akintunde combo got the vital winner, Rooney (inset) with the cross from a free kick, Akintunde timing his run perfectly to get on the end of the delivery and steer his header into the net.
Level
That proved to be enough for the win, a victory which pushes Bohs up to third in the table, level on points with second-placed, Derry City, five points behind leaders, Shels.
Up until the Akintunde and Rooney introductions, midway through the second half, Bohs had provided little more than huff and puff.
But then finally, they found their stride, zipping their passes with pace and rhythm, and figuring out how to play the conditions.
And that was because a gale wind blew from the School End, too, ruining the chances of the match being a worthwhile spectacle.
The first half was poor, neither team finding their stride, the accuracy of their passing down a notch, the wind playing havoc.
Nonetheless there were some decent individual displays in those opening 45 minutes, Daryl Horgan offering Dundalk an outlet on the right, James Clarke finding space at the other end of the field for Bohs, his link play with Filip Piszcek providing the Dundalk defence with plenty to think about.
However, centre-back, Mayowa Animashaun, was coping reasonably well in those opening 45 minutes, snuffing out any real threat.
Only Dundalk had any chances of note before the break, Robbie Benson shooting over on 25 minutes.and then wide on 37.
Near the end of the half, Robert Mahon’s cross just escaped Jamie Gulland’s outstretched leg as Dundalk went into the break level.
Groove
And that was how it stayed for another 25 minutes.
And then Bohs began to find their groove. McDaid had three shots in a five minute spell after coming on, the first two saved by George Shelvey, the second after a fine cross from Michael Lilander.
Then came McDaid’s third shot in that five minute period, this one coming from a free kick, which ended up in the sidenetting.
Bohs were moving up a gear, Dundalk beginning to be stretched by the increased pace of the game.
Central to this upsurge in the Bohs play was Adam McDonnell, their midfielder. He fired a shot wide on 77 minutes as Bohs continued to press.
By now it was not a question of whether they would score — but when. And the answer came 10 minutes from the end, when Louie Annesley conceded a foul, midway between the penalty area and the sideline.
Up stepped Rooney.
In came his cross.
And up went Akintunde, his header guided beyond Shelvey to get the game’s only goal.
To their credit, Dundalk never gave up the fight.What they lack in quality, they at least have in spirit.
Bottom
But when Benson was subbed off, Horgan was left without meaningful company on the field.
How he — and the Dundalk fans — must be yearning for the days when Stephen Kenny was in charge and the Lilywhites had a team filled with champions.
Now they are bottom of the table, without a manager, and without a win this season.
Are they good enough to stay up?
The answer remains yes.
But we are past the quartermark in the campaign.
If they are going to be part of the great escape, they need to get motoring soon.
Otherwise a gap will grow.