Bohemians moved within touching distance of the European places as Lorcan Fitzgerald scored a wonder goal and they beat Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park.
It finished level when these sides met earlier in the campaign but Dinny Corcorcan gifted Bohemians a fifth-minute lead.
That was added to by Fitzgerald before half-time and they led 2-0 at the break. Ronan Murray breathed life into the Galway challenge with a stunning free-kick but they could not find an equaliser.
Bohemians lost at home to Limerick midweek while Galway United suffered a similar fate away to Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght on Monday night.
And Galway manager Shane Keegan was looking for a response from his players with four changes to that team with Marc Ludden, David Cawley, Vinny Faherty and Murray returning to the starting line-up.
But the early pressure came from the visitors and it was a mistake from Galway’s usually dependable Lee Grace that led to the first Bohemians goal.
The former Wexford Youths centre-half kept the ball in play when it looked set to be heading for a Galway goal-kick. He surrendered possession and Fitzgerald played the ball in from the left. A neat step over from Corcoran was added to by Keith Ward, before striker Corcoran finished brilliantly beyond Conor Winn.
When Bohemians hosted Galway on St Patrick’s Day at Dalymount Park Corcoran also scored the opener and on that occasion Murray found the net to seal a vital draw.
When they fell behind on this occasion Galway couldn’t find the right distribution from midfield even as Bohemians dropped off and allowed them to take control. Galway did get one brilliant chance in the 14th minute but Murray’s shot hit Vinny Faherty instead of finding the target.
Six minutes later Murray sent in a rasping effort from just outside the Bohemians penalty area but the impressive Shane Supple palmed it away.
Galway were looking dangerous but they didn’t capitalise when in the ascendancy. And they were made to pay for those misses in the 36th minute when Fitzgerald blasted a volley into the bottom-corner. George Poynton supplied the cross and Fitzgerald’s shot was unstoppable.
That gave Bohemians a commanding 2-0 half-time lead and they looked comfortable with that until Oscar Brennan fouled Gavin Holohan on the edge of the Bohemians box ten minutes into the second-half – Murray stepped up and arrowed his free-kick into the corner of Supple’s net.
Murray had another opportunity minutes later but from a similar position and shot Supple dived to save dramatically.
Galway were probing again but they were unable to unlock the Bohemians defence again and Supple kept his goal intact after that.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Marc Ludden; Gary Shanahan (Jesse Devers 85), Gavan Holohan, David Cawley, Kevin Devaney; Ronan Murray, Vinny Faherty (Padraic Cunningham 79).
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Rob Cornwall, Dan Byrne, Lorcan Fitzgerald (Kaleem Simon 68); Ian Morris, Oscar Brennan, Fuad Sule (Philip Gannon 74), George Poynton, Keith Ward (Dean Casey 81); Dinny Corcoran.
