Akinade rocket ends Dundalk’s run

ISMAHIL AKINADE’S stunning strike condemned Dundalk to their first league defeat since July as Bohemians left a rain-swept Oriel Park with all three points.

Keith Long’s side created the first opening after just two minutes when Paddy Kavanagh picked out Dinny Corcoran but the striker’s effort was pushed around the post by Gary Rogers.

Torrential rain and a driving gale battered the ground, and the elements almost worked to Dundalk’s advantage in the eighth minute when Jamie McGrath’s 30-yard shot caught the wind and sailed away from Shane Supple only to crash off his left-hand post.

The Lilywhites thought they had pulled ahead eight minutes later when David McMillan pounced to turn the ball home after Supple let a Robbie Benson shot spill from his grasp. A raised flag spared the goalkeeper’s blushes.

It looked like the teams would go in all square at the break but Bohs hit the front in style when Akinade let fly from 25 yards to claim just his third league goal of the season.

McMillan tested Supple in the opening stages of the second half before Sean Gannon, deployed on the right wing, had a good shout for a penalty waved away in the 57th minute when his hooked effort looked to have hit the hands of a Bohs defender.

The visitors should have doubled their lead on the hour mark after a quick break on the left ended with Akinade squaring the ball across goal for Corcoran but Rogers stood tall to keep his side in it.

Stephen Kenny’s side continued to enjoy good spells of possession but they just couldn’t find a way through and a frustrating night was summed up in stoppagetime when referee Derek Tomney waved away another appeal for a penalty after Chris Shields went down in the box.

The victory keeps the Dubliners in with a chance of finishing in the top half of the table as they lie two points behind fifth-placed Bray Wanderers.