Dundalk moved within nine points of SSE Airtricity League Premier Division league leaders Cork City as substitute Ciaran Kilduff's last-minute header earned Stephen Kenny's side a 1-0 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park.
The game had been moved forward 48 hours to help Dundalk prepare for their Champions League qualifier against Rosenborg next week, but they'll have to play an awful lot better to have any chance against the Norwegian champions.
The Lilywhites were second-best for long periods of the game and struggled to create chances throughout, only for Kilduff to pop up 30 seconds from time to seal a fortunate win.
Stephen Kenny handed a debut to winger Dylan Connolly after he finally signed from Bray Wanderers late last week, one of two changes to the team with John Mountney also coming in on the opposite flank.
The flying winger struggled to get into the game in the first half, however, as Bohs managed to control their fair share of possession and limit space in behind when the visitors did have it.
The game quickly settled into a pattern of Dundalk enjoying a lot of possession in non-threatening areas, while Keith Ward controlled things for Bohs in the pocket in front of the back four usually occupied by injured skipper Stephen O'Donnell.
Ward played an inch-perfect pass in behind left back Dane Massey after ten minutes that set Paddy Kavanagh into space, but neither Dinny Corcoran nor Lorcan Fitzgerald were on hand to attack it.
Ward, again, was pulling the strings ten minutes later when he spurned an opportunity to shoot from the edge of the box to try play in Corcoran, but again the final ball was marginally off.
Mountey's cross from the right presented Connolly with his first opportunity on the half hour but captain Derek Pender had him well-marshalled and stepped across the winger to head clear.
The Lilywhites were uncharacteristically sloppy and Gannon left his pass across the backline short and was grateful to Vemmelund for a desperate last-ditch tackle to prevent Kavanagh from sprinting through on goal.
Pender then pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, a victim of Connolly's pace as he attempted to keep up with the winger in the chase for a Philip Gannon pass, and was replaced by Dylan Hayes.
The home side continued to have the better of the play after the break, though it took until after the hour for them to register their first shot as Corcoran head over following a quick Ward break.
Connolly's debut came to an end with his replacement by Michael Duffy, who immediately staked his claim by stepping off his wing and forcing a save from Supple.
And there was a long-awaited competitive return proper for striker Izzy Akinade, who has missed the guts of the past year after having his spleen removed, as he replaced cousin Fuad Sule.
David McMillan had a great chance to win it for Dundalk ten minutes from time as he levelled a bullet header into the corner only for Shane Supple to pull out a wonderful save to keep it scoreless.
But just when it appeared the game had slipped from the champions' hands, up popped Kilduff to arch his neck and steer home Jamie McGrath's cross to send the travelling support into raptures.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender (Dylan Hayes 38), Rob Cornwall, Warren O'Hora, Ian Morris; Fuad Sule (Ismahil Akinade 65), Philip Gannon, Lorcan Fitzerald, Paddy Kavanagh, Keith Ward (Eoghan Morgan 81); Dinny Corcoran.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Niclas Vemmelund, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson, Dylan Connolly (Michael Duffy 65), John Mountney (Jamie McGrath 79), Patrick McEleney; David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 81).
