Finn Harps continue to hang on to the coat-tails of the teams above them after they picked up another home victory in their bid to avoid the drop.
Harry Ascroft's winner, his second in as many weeks, did the trick as the Donegal outfit beat Bohemians while also claiming their fifth clean sheet in their last six games.
Having also won three of their previous five outings, Ollie Horgan’s side sought to further improve that run and hit the lead on their first venture forward.
Last week's derby winner took a pass from Mikey Place into his stride, before Ascroft unleashed a wicked right-footed strike from the edge of the area, which flew past James Talbot with eight played.
Bohs didn’t manage a single shot on target throughout an underwhelming first half showing from the Dubliners.
Danny Mandroiu had a penalty call waved away, while a bending effort from Keith Ward failed to worry Mark McGinley between the Harps posts.
Mandroiu wasn’t too far away with a set piece late in the half after Jacob Borg had dragged Ward to the floor. But that was as much as the Gypsies could manage in the first period.
Bohs continued to be frustrated by their hosts and even by their own misgivings in the final third.
Luke Wade-Slater’s initial effort was blocked down, before Andre Wright could only drag the rebound away from the target.
Ascroft, Gareth Harkin and Mark Timlin all had sight of goal for the hosts.
While a frustrated Wright again mis-hit on 70 minutes. This time pulling substitute Danny Grant’s cross well wide of the far post as it looked like it might again be Harps’ evening.
The win sees Harps move to within four off Cork City, while they also opened the gap between themselves and basement side UCD to six with a game extra played.
Finn Harps: Mark McGinley; Keith Cowan, Daniel O’Reilly, Sam Todd; Jacob Borg, Mark Russell; Gareth Harkin, Harry Ascroft, Tony McNamee (Shaun Doherty 93); Mark Timlin (Rauiri Harkin 78); Mikey Place (Nathan Boyle 82).
Bohemians: James Talbot; Michael Barker, Aaron Barry, James Finnerty, Darragh Leahy; Conor Levingston, Scott Allardice (Robbie McCourt 59); Keith Ward (Danny Grant HT), Danny Mandroiu (Ross Tierney 75), Luke Wade-Slater; Andre Wright.
Referee: Damien McGraith.
Attendance: 1,036
