Michael Duffy was influential as Dundalk returned to winning ways by overcoming a shot-shy Bohemians side at Oriel Park.
David McMillan's sixth goal of the season gave the reigning champions an early lead but they were left frustrated by the efforts of Bohs goalkeeper, Shane Supple, who made a number of good stops to keep the visitors in the game.
Stephen Kenny's side needed a second goal to calm the nerves of the Oriel Park faithful and it arrived in the 66th minute when former Celtic winger Michael Duffy left Supple with no chance with a powerfully hit low effort from 25 yards.
The visitors looked intent on making an early impression and Rob Cornwall made his way into referee Paul McLaughlin's notebook after just 60 seconds for leaving Patrick McEleney in a heap.
After seeing them link up well in the EA Sports Cup tie against UCD on Easter Monday, Kenny selected Dane Massey and Jamie McGrath to operate on the left flank.
As a result, Duffy played on the opposite side and he was involved in the ninth-minute opener. It looked like he had put too much pace on a pass in front of McEleney but he managed to get a cross in and McMillan was there to head past Supple from close range.
Dundalk's two Derry men almost combined again to devastating effect in the 16th minute but Supple did well to race from his line and smother a Duffy effort after a great through ball by McEleney.
The hosts pushed for a second and Lorcan Fitzgerald did just enough to stop Duffy from tucking away a rebound after Supple did well to parry a Massey drive.
Bohs eventually took the sting out of the game but Dundalk were knocking on the door again on the half hour mark.
Niclas Vemmelund's superb ball down the right channel for McMillan ended in a corner with Sean Hoare seeing his header tipped behind by Supple.
The visitors created very little but they raised the anxiety levels slightly when Jamie Doyle got in behind Brian Gartland to guide a left-footed half-volley towards goal that Gary Rogers did well to deal with.
It proved to be an isolated incident as Dundalk finished the half on top with the busy Duffy getting up to meet a McEleney cross at the far post only to head wide.
McEleney then hooked an effort towards goal after being picked out by an audacious back heel by Lilywhites centre-back Sean Hoare after Bohs had failed to clear a corner.
Supple was called into action again just before the break, saving Duffy's well-struck effort with the outside of his right foot.
The big goalkeeper was at his best again just 90 seconds after the restart, throwing himself to his right to beat away O'Donnell's left-footed drive.
Things became scrappy after that with the home crowd getting anxious, especially when news filtered through that Cork City had gone ahead against St Patrick's Athletic in Inchicore.
Duffy, however, settled the nerves in the 66th minute when he collected a pass inside from substitute Steven Kinsella and rifled home a daisy cutter from 25 yards that flew inside Supple's near post.
Referee Paul McLaughlin waved away Dundalk's appeals for a penalty when McMillan had his jersey clearly tugged by a Bohs defender in the 73rd minute.
And although Bohs had a Kaleem Simon goal disallowed in stoppage time, they never looked like retrieving the situation and now sit just two points above the drop zone.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Niclas Vemmelund, Brian Gartland, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Stephen O'Donnell (Conor Clifford 74); Michael Duffy, Patrick McEleney (Thomas Stewart 86), Jamie McGrath (Steven Kinsella 65); David McMillan.
BOHEMIANS: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Rob Cornwall, Dan Byrne, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh, Oscar Brennan, Ian Morris, Fuad Sule (Keith Ward 83), Kaleem Simon; Jamie Doyle (Dean Casey 69).
REFEREE: Paul McLaughlin.
