Ten-man Galway United edged ahead of Bohemians and into the top four of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division with a thoroughly deserved victory in Phibsborough.
John Caulfield's charges silenced all bar those in the Mono Stand in a crowd of 4,101 as Bohs were made to look a distinctly ordinary side by the well-organised visitors.
Promoted United have now won away in Derry and Dalymount, at home to leaders Shelbourne and very nearly at champions Shamrock Rovers too. They are the side that nobody relishes playing against.
A Maurice Nugent goal reflected United being comfortably the better side in the first half, but they lost Karl O'Sullivan to a very-much-avoidable red card with over half an hour to go. It mattered little.
United, as a club, arrived in Dublin in a better place than for many years. Not only has the men's team taken to the top flight like a seasoned hack: on Saturday, their women won 4-0 at the expense of DLR Waves before a record crowd for a League of Ireland game (2,861) in Eamonn Deacy Park.
United battled for a dour stalemate Friday against Derry, while Bohemians held out for a 1-1 draw against Shamrock Rovers here. So this was a tough game for the crowd to call, including President Michael D Higgins, long a United fan but warmly welcomed by the home fans in Dalymount.
Also among those in the home stand was suspended United boss Caulfield.
United played a never-before-together midfield, with Nugent sitting with Patrick Hickey, yet they began brighter, indefatigable veteran Stephen Walsh busy and almost troubling Chorazka on 14 minutes.
And it was Nugent who had the visitors in front on 19 minutes, his run down the left and shot forcing a parry from Kacper Chorazka but the ball spilled over the line.
It was a poor mistake from the Polish stopper, who has done well in his short spell in Dublin.
Ed McCarthy has been sensational for Galway since the start of last season and one wonders if he will be soon in demand by bigger clubs. He won the ball back and worked Chorazka as an opening half hour of Galway superiority came to an end.
Then a nice one-two between Walsh and David Hurley had the former looking for a penalty but a free out was given.In the next attack, Hurley collided with Aboubacar Keita just outside the box.
A superb spot, this, for a dead ball, and Hurley will have been disappointed he clipped harmlessly over.By now, the home fans were bored or restless.
Finally, they implored the well-marshalled Danny Grant to shoot but he teed up Adam McDonnell, who saw his shot meet an army of Galway defenders. Paddy Kirk worked Brendan Clarke - somewhat - just before the break.
However, Bohs were lucky not to be further behind in injury time. Keita made a mess of a Clarke punt and O'Sullivan ought to have scored but Chorazka redeemed himself somewhat by smothering a tame effort.Bohs made no less than three half-time changes.
Grant, Dylan Connolly and Michael Lilander were all hauled off - a measure of how bad the home side were in the eyes of manager Alan Reynolds in the opening 45.
Still, United looked the better side, McCarthy blasting wide on his left foot ten minutes after the restart.All changed on 58 minutes when O'Sullivan was given a second yellow by referee Paul Norton, latterly for a silly challenge on James Clarke.
The last-named tried to square midway through the half but namesame Brendan got down well and still Bohs had yet to create anything of note.
Finally, one big opening came with 18 minutes to go. Clarke dinked the ball into James Akintunde but his header had no power whatever and Clarke was not troubled.
Eight minutes of injury time might easily have been 88 and one still would have lacked confidence about Brendan Clarke having a meaningful intervention.
Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Michael Lilander (Luke Matheson 46), Jevon Mills, Aboubacar Keita (Declan McDaid 65), Patrick Kirk; James Clarke (Sten Reinkort 80), Jordan Flores; Dylan Connolly (Filip Piszczek 46), Adam McDonnell, Daniel Grant (Martin Miller 46); James Akintunde.
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Esua, Robert Slevin, Killian Brouder, Al Amin Kazeem (Conor O'Keeffe 79); Maurice Nugent (Vincent Borden 54), Patrick Hickey (Conor McCormack 70); Karl O'Sullivan, David Hurley (Leonardo Gaxha 79), Ed McCarthy; Stephen Walsh.
Referee: Paul Norton.
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