Kurtis Byrne scored for the fourth time in five games to settle a dour SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash as Bohemians beat Wexford Youths 1-0 at Dalymount Park.
A regular scorer of spectacular goals, Byrne obliged with a tap-in as Bohemians got back to winning ways after defeats to Dundalk and Galway United to move up to sixth place in the table.
Byrne’s eighth goal of the season settled a scrappy affair as Wexford, who deserved a point, wasted an opportunity to make up ground on Finn Harps who lost at home to Cork City.
Goals from tonight’s games as Cork beat Finn Harps & Bohs edged past Wexford Youths. #RTEsoccer https://t.co/m25q30vnAa
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) September 19, 2016
Shane Keegan’s side, four points behind Harps in the relegation play-off place, remain six points ahead of bottom side Longford Town, though now with the same number of games played.
Beaten 4-0 in the final of the Leinster Senior Cup in Phibsborough three weeks ago, Youths, with six changes from the side that held Derry City to a 0-0 draw on Friday, started well with a sixth-minute shout for a penalty.
Eric Molloy certainly appeared to have been bundled over in the area by Lorcan Fitzgerald, but referee Dave McKeon wasn’t interested.
Youths maintained their confident opening with Molloy shooting over the crossbar from some 35 yards five minutes later.
But it was Molloy who lost possession in midfield to gift Bohemians their first attack of the game. Roberto Lopes surged forward into the Youths’ area before having the ball nicked off him by central defender Lee Grace.
Bohemians’ Shane Supple was the first keeper to be worked in the 21st minute, getting across well to save Aidan Friel’s left-foot drive from distance following a weak clearance by Paddy Kavanagh.
The home side gradually settle and troubled Graham Doyle in the visitors’ goal for the first time minutes later. Keith Buckley arced a cross in from the right and Doyle had to go full stretch to clasp Byrne’s glancing header.
But much of the action was at the other end in the first half with the influential Molloy volleying wide across goal after a free kick from Shane Dunne dropped to him.
Then, somewhat against the run of play in the final minute of the half, Bohemians snatched the lead for what proved the winner. Byrne initially saw his header from Kavanagh’s cross touched into the air by the off balance Doyle before following up to poke the ball over the line.
Further lax defending almost cost Youths a second goal eight minute into the second half when Derek Prendergast was allowed get his head to a Fitzgerald cross to flick the ball just over the top.
Buckley then threaded a delightful pass through for Byrne who saw his shot trickle wide across the face of Doyle's goal as Bohs took the three points.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Ian Morris, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh (Kelly 70), Roberto Lopes, Eoin Wearen, Dean O’Halloran (Mark Quigley 70); Keith Buckley; Kurtis Byrne (Dan Byrne 90+3),
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Aidan Friel (Paul Murphy 82), Stephen Last, Lee Grace, Andrew O’Connor; Eric Molloy, Peter Higgins, Chris Kenny, Shane Dunne (Andy Mulligan 72); Danny Furlong, Eoin Porter (Aidan Keenan 61).
Referee: Dave McKeon (Dublin).
