Kiwis are well-suited to life in Galway and Moses Dyer's exceptional brace saw United spend much of the night top of the in-play table, heaping the pressure on Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds at Dalymount Park.
Bundee Aki might be more recognisable under the Spanish Arch in a city that has long celebrated a visitor, but United are becoming a big deal in the Western capital. Dyer, capped 11 times for the All Whites, etched himself in its folklore.
His athleticism was remarkable for the first on 19 minutes, while his second shortly after the hour mark– right in front of the visiting fans – was a rocket.
Reynolds walked with defiance afterwards to the dressing room amid a chorus of anger, assistant boss Stephen O'Donnell just behind him, and they will be feeling the heat as the lights go out tonight in Dalymount.
Bohs had plenty of the ball, tried hard and should have scored at least once – but they have now lost five matches, and the festering negativity in the crowd was evident gate to wire here. One lost count of the number of defensive interventions realised by United's ultra-game players and Bohs fans were leaving the ground long, long before the inevitable boos at the final whistle.
How far can United go this season? They can certainly target Europe and results elsewhere mean that John Caulfield's men were set to be top of the ladder as we enter April, only for Saint Patrick's Athletic's come-from-behind win in Waterford ensuring the place at the summit on goal difference. Nobody can deny Galway's long-suffering fans the right to dream.
For all the local negativity, Bohs were still heavy favourites still against an unbeaten Tribesmen – and boss Reynolds called on close to his best available side.
United remain minus some key players, with veteran stopper Brendan Clarke not fit to tog. Cian Byrne, on loan from Bohs, could not start. It has been said that it does not matter who starts for the Galwegians as each player knows his role intimately; that was evident throughout this encounter.
United, as a club, was in mourning during the week after the death of John Herrick, an Irish international and one of the club's finest players. A hardy footballer, he would have fitted nicely into this United side, in which Caulfield has inculcated a rare sense of spirit.
Bohs had most of the play in the first half, after which they were behind. United defended like the well-drilled team that they are and a scramble on four minutes saw Ross Tierney fail to get enough on the ball.
Bohs' confidence levels were questionable after a 3-0 hammering in Inchicore and, for all that they started on top, they were shaky in possession. Tierney looks off colour. The first quarter was scrappy but United had a shout for a penalty when Vince Borden went over from a corner, referee Damien McGraith giving nothing.
McGrath was reluctant to go for his yellow card throughout the half, Colm Whelan picking up a booking for diving, and United took the lead on 20 minutes, with Kiwi Dyer getting the final touch from a Bobby Burns cross – a typical United goal.
Indeed, big Patrick Hickey had initially headed a high punt on to Burns, who hung a cross in the air that Dyer did well, salmon-like, to meet. Rob Cornwall, fit again for Bohs, was bewildered; Talbot had no chance.
Jordan Flores was outstanding in the first half for Bohs and, after a nice one-two with Dawson Devoy, Rob Slevin got in a key intervention as Bohs rallied gamely. Greg Cunningham is celebrated more but Slevin is vital for United and he evoked memories of a certain Paul McGrath in New York with what must have been nearly a dozen vital clearances in the first half.
Tierney had a frustrating time of it but he was put into a dangerous position by the heavily influential Devoy as half-time approached, only for Garry Buckley to get another key block in. Flores then set up another Bohs attack which ended in recent Welsh under-21 cap Watts save from Liam Smith.
The first half-dozen minutes of the second half were full of chances. Colm Whelan finally fashioned a chance and hooked the ball wide with Watts well-beaten from close range, before the excellent Jeannot Esua hung a gorgeous cross for Hickey, who would surely have scored with any bit of angle left or right on his bullet header, which Talbot batted over.
Bodies on the line define United, with three players getting in all manner of blocks on the hour-mark, before a clever corner-kick routine saw a good save from Watts as Bohs increased the tempo.
United's second followed another key block, this time from Brouder, quenching a Bohs attack. The ball was punted long and Hickey outmuscled Flores, with Dyer then again getting the better of Cornwall, before unleashing a whipping half-volley that Talbot merely waved at like one might at a fly in the dark.
Lys Mousset did well, having come off the bench, and he could yet justify Reynolds' off-season punt on the Frenchman, but the atmosphere had turned bitter by the final whistle: Bohs are now the guts of a year without a home win.
The announcement of six minutes' injury time was seen not so much as a lifeline but incarceration.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Liam Smith (Lys Mousset 69), Rob Cornwall, Seán Grehan, Jordan Flores (Archie Meekison 69); Niall Morohan (Leigh Kavanagh 69), Dawson Devoy, James McManus; Dayle Rooney (Rhys Brennan 77), Colm Whelan, Ross Tierney.
Galway United: Evan Watts; Jeannot Esua, Rob Slevin, Greg Cunningham, Killian Brouder, Bobby Burns (Regan Donelon 77); Patrick Hickey, Garry Buckley (Jimmy Keohane 59), Vince Borden; Stephen Walsh (David Hurley 59), Moses Dyer.
Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo).
