AKINADE ROCKET ENDS LILIES’ RUN

DUNDALK’S title is gone and so too is their 15match unbeaten run. Ismahil Akinade’s 44thminute thunderbolt at Oriel Park last night ensured Bohemians became the first side to beat the Lilywhites since Shamrock Rovers were 1-0 winners at the Co Louth venue on July 23. Dundalk, who had to name two goalkeepers on the bench due to their current injury list, dominated for long spells but could find no way past a resolute Bohemians defence. The result matters little in the grand scheme of things with little for either side to play for but the Lilywhites will be disappointed to have seen their good run come to an end ahead of their Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup final clash with Cork City on November 5. The visitors had the game’s opening chance inside the opening two minutes when Patrick Kavanagh slipped Dinny Corcoran in on the right only for his effort to be palmed around the post by Gary Rogers. Dundalk then had two big openings of their own. The first arrived in the eighth minute when Jamie McGrath’s shot from 35 yards came back off the inside of the post. Then on the quarter hour mark David McMillan had the ball in the net after Shane Supple spilled Robbie Benson’s long range shot but cruelly for the Lilywhites the offside flag was up. Corcoran and Thomas Stewart then went close at either end within a minute of each other before Akinade tested Rogers with a shot after being set clear by Oscar Brennan. Ten minutes before the break Chris Shields went close to a rare goal with a long range effort. However, it was Bohs who would lead courtesy of a stunning strike from Akinade a minute before the break. He seized on a loose ball 25 yards out to drill past Rogers. Six minutes after the restart McMillan tested Supple with a shot from the edge of the box which the goalkeeper did well to hold onto. Dundalk were on top at this stage but the visitors had a great chance to double their lead on the hour mark when they broke on the left to Akinade. The Nigerian-born striker squared to Corcoran but Rogers was quick off his line to deny his former Sligo Rovers team-mate at point blank range. The home side dominated for much of the second half but were restricted largely to long range efforts, each of which were blocked by a determined Bohs hwo were fortunate not to concede a penalty deep in stoppage time when Shields went down under a Dylan Hayes challenge in the box. For the Lilywhites, the only hope of redemption lies in the Aviva Stadium next month and the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup final.