Sligo Rovers 1-0 Bohemians
A wasteful Bohemians suffered their fifth league defeat in six games as they fell to a 1-0 loss at the hands of 10-man Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
Liam Martin netted the game's only goal on 18 minutes as the Bit O'Red recorded their third home league win on the bounce.
The Dublin side passed up a catalogue of chances throughout and failed to capitalise on Mick Leahy's red card midway through the second period.
Bohs went into this game having failed to score in over 450 minutes of league football. Roberto Lopes almost ended that barren spell as early as the second minute.
The midfielder found himself in a world of space at the front post but could only watch on as he sent his effort from a Paddy Kavanagh cross crashing against the Rovers woodwork.
The away side continued their positive start. Micheál Schlingermann did well to get behind Lopes' volley from the edge of the Sligo box on 11 minutes, while the Rovers net minder was tested again two minutes later when he plucked Ismahil Akinade's bending effort from the air.
It was the Bit O'Red who registered the game's only score however with 18 minutes elapsed. Jimmy Keohane neatly turned two defenders before his initial effort was blocked by a Bohs defender.
Possession fell to Kieran Sadlier and on his first start in four, the Republic of Ireland international's back-heel landed to Martin whose finish from close range seemed to take a deflection off a Bohs player on its way to the net. It was the Donegal man's third goal of the season.
Raffaele Cretaro should have doubled the Bit O'Red's lead on 24 minutes. Sadlier picked out the Rovers veteran with a sublime ball from the right but the 34-year-old was unable to adjust his body in time to poke the ball past Dean Delany.
The home goal continued to live a charmed life as Keith Long's charges pushed for a leveller. Lorcan Fitzgerald's deliciously whipped free-kick landed straight on the left foot of Akinade who wastefully skied his cushioned effort from three yards on 33 minutes.
Lopes headed narrowly wide from another Fitzgerald set-piece with Schlingermann beaten all ends up three minutes later. While former Sligo attacker Eoin Wearen nodded wide from the same source shortly before the break.
Lopes turned up another golden opportunity to equalise just past the hour mark. After some head tennis between Wearen and Kavanagh, the ball fell to the unmarked Lopes whose weak header was easily dealt with by Schlingermann.
Rovers were reduced to 10 men four minutes later when centre-half Leahy was booked for a second time when he dragged a Bohs player to the floor on the half-way line. He became the third Sligo player to be dismissed by referee Paul McLaughlin this year.
The Dalymount Park outfit were again left wanting in front of goal on 69 minutes. Rovers centre half Gary Boylan seemed unaware of the presence of Keith Buckley over his left shoulder as he let a long ball from Dean Delany over his head.
Buckley was left one-on-one with man-of-the-match Schlingermann, but the Mayo native was on hand to save the blushes of his fellow countyman.
Akinade's header crept past the Rovers post on 72 as the Dubliners continued to dominate. Substitute Jake Kelly pulled his effort from distance wide of the target six minutes later after he was sent through by Ben Mohamed.
Dylan Hayes, a 78th-minute Bohemians replacement squandered yet another chance to put both teams on an even keel in the third of seven added minutes at the end of the game.
Akinade chased down what seemed like a lost cause on the Bohs left before finding Kelly. The former Bray man was robbed by a strong challenge from Tim Clancy. The ball fell to Hayes who blasted over from ten yards.
Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Michael Leahy, Gary Boylan, Regan Donelon; Phil Roberts (John Russell 61) (Jordan Richards 85), Jimmy Keohane, Craig Roddan, Kieran Sadlier, Liam Martin; Raffaele Cretaro (Tim Clancy 65).
Bohemians: Dean Delany; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast (Daniel Byrne 39), Dave Mulcahy, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh, Roberto Lopes (Dylan Hayes 78), Eoin Wearen, Keith Buckley (Jake Kelly 71), Aymen Ben Mohamed; Ismahil Akinade.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
