Paddy Kirk and Declan McDaid both hit their second goals of the season as Bohemians maintained their lead and their charge at the top of League of Ireland Premier Division with victory over Drogheda United.
The latter's injury-time goal sealed a win for Declan Devine’s team but they were made to work for it by a Drogheda United side who will come away disappointed not to have given the league leaders a bloody nose in front of another sell out home crowd.
Without the injured Ali Coote and suspended Jordan Flores, a strong Bohs team can count this result as a very credible one given how often Drogheda can shock the supposed bigger and certainly more resourced sides in the top-flight.
Kirk’s second goal of the season had them in control inside the opening 20 minutes but that arrived only after Drogheda had begun brightly.
The hosts dominated the second half but, in truth, didn’t force James Talbot into enough work, where clear-cut openings for an equaliser were hard to come by.
Talbot’s best save of the evening came inside 15 minutes. Dylan Grimes chest controlled a left wing cross and Freddie Draper’s snapshot was instinctively saved by the 25-year-old. Ryan Brennan’s header was more routine.
James Clarke, who left Boyneside for Phibsboro last summer on a multi-year deal, had a hand in the opener.
His shot was too hot to handle for Colin McCabe. Kirk latched onto the loose ball from his parry and carried the ball infield, easily beating Grimes and letting fly with a left foot shot that the goalkeeper couldn’t get down to.
United began the second as they had the first but this time sustained their pressure. Dayle Rooney’s delivered some brilliant crosses into good areas but Polish centre-half duo Krystian Nowak and Kacper Radkowski, the latter especially, had on-loan well marshalled.
Ryan Brennan, Drogheda’s top scorer this term with just two, went close but on the stretch he couldn’t control Darragh Markey’s ball across the area.
The last time Sean Grant was at Weavers Park, he sent off both Lee Grace and Daniel Cleary as United snatched a late draw against the reigning champions in February. There was to be no such assistance against the league leaders.
Despite their continued pressure late on, a McCabe error led to Bohs’ second. He badly sliced a clearance and McDaid capitalised. He rounded the retreating goalkeeper and scored from a narrow angle.
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Elicha Ahui (Michael Leddy, 80), Emmanuel Adegboyega, Conor Keeley, Jarlath Jones (Luke Heeney, 77); Gary Deegan; Dylan Grimes (Aaron McNally, 73), Ryan Brennan, Darragh Markey (Emre Topcu, 80), Dayle Rooney; Freddie Draper.
Bohemian FC: James Talbot; Grant Horton, Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski, Paddy Kirk; Keith Buckley, Adam McDonnell (James McManus, 73), James Clarke (Kris Twardek, 66); Dylan Connolly (Declan McDaid, 79), John O’Sullivan; Jonathan Afolabi (Dean Williams, 73)
Referee: Sean Grant
