In came Tyreke Wilson, for his first start to the season at left-back in place of Anto Breslin, while Keith Ward was included at the expense of Dawson Devoy.

Despite the changes, it was the Lilywhites who looked to enforce their game plan and try to dominate proceedings, with Andy Boyle clipping the crossbar with an early header and Michael Duffy cutting in from the left wing but dragging a tame shot past James Talbot’s near post.

Bohs dealt with these early jabs, and responded well landing a big blow of their own.

Ross Tierney, being deployed in the No 10 position, picked up the ball and drove at the heart of the Dundalk defence, showing brilliant pace and a low centre of gravity, and was eventually scythed down by wreckless challenge by Dan Cleary just inside the edge of the area.

Up stepped Kelly, who confidently sent Peter Cherrie the wrong way to give Bohs the lead against his former side, with just 12 minutes played.

The hosts made a big call in dropping under-fire keeper Alessio Abibi and bringing in the aforementioned Cherrie in a bid to try resolve their defensive woes.

They responded well to the early setback. Pat Hoban, on the occasion of his 200th appearance for Dundalk, went close with a header midway through the first half but was martialled well by central defensive duo Rob Cornwall and James Finnerty.

It was Bohs who carried the bigger goal threat in the first half. They looked dangerous on the break, and were almost gifted a chance to double their lead just after the half-hour mark when Kelly pounced on a sloppy play by Cherrie, dispossessing the keeper but couldn’t pull the ball back to Tierney in the area.

Just before the break, it looked as if Liam Burt had doubled the Gypsies’ lead but, with Cherrie beaten all ends up, he was unlucky to see his powerful low drive narrowly miss the bottom corner.

As expected, the FAI Cup winners came out in the second half with a fire in their bellies looking to push for an equaliser but were met with a strong resolute Bohs defensive unit.

But Bohs’ hard work was almost undone before the hour mark following some sloppy play from their own throw-in, and had Talbot to thank for keeping the lead intact as he denied Sam Stanton from point-blank range with one of the saves of the season so far.

Rory Feely, who had replaced the injured Andy Lyons at right back earlier in the half, delivered a dangerously whipped cross just past the penalty spot but the busy Tierney was unable to guide the ball goalwards, as Bohs continued to carry a threat despite less possession than their hosts.

Kelly also went close with a dipping strike just outside the edge of the area.

As their desperation grew, Dundalk opted for a more direct route, bombarding Talbot’s area with long hopeful crosses and despite appeals for penalties, including a handball claim against Cornwall, did not otherwise create many clear-cut opportunities to trouble the Bohs backline.

The clock ticked agonizingly towards the 90-minute mark and the final whistle was greeted with a sense of relief from the Gypsies players and staff as they secured their first win of the 2021 season.

Long and his troops will be hoping this much-improved performance and result can be the catalyst to make it two wins from two away to Waterford at the RSC next week.

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie, Cameron Dummigan (Ryan O’Kane 78), Dan Cleary, Andy Boyle, Sam Stanton (David McMillan 63), Chris Shields (C), Raivas Jurkovkis (Darragh Leahy 63), Han Jeongwoo (Patrick McEleney 45), Ole Erik Midstkogen (Junior 63), Pat Hoban, Michael Duffy. Unused substitutes: Greg Sloggett, Jesus Perez, Val Adedokun, Alessio Abibi.
Bohemians: James Talbot, Andy Lyons (Rory Feely 50), Rob Cornwall, James Finerty, Tyreke Wilson, Keith Ward (Dawson Devoy 84), Ross Tierney, Keith Buckley (C), Ali Coote (Ciarán Kelly 83), Liam Burt, Georgie Kelly. Unused substitutes: Stephen McGuinness, Bradley Rolt, Jack Moylan, Robbie Mahon, Bastien Héry, Anto Breslin.
Referee: Rob Harvey.

Although there was little between the sides, and as a fascinating clash of styles unfolded, 4-2-3-1 for the hosts versus a fluid 3-5-2 for the visitors, it was Bohs who created the first two half-chances.

The first came from a bit of pinball in the Pat’s area from a whipped Anto Breslin corner. But as the ball fell invitingly for Ross Tierney, the youngster just couldn’t make contact as he swung and the ball trickled into the arms of the on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros.

Bohs’ best avenue of a breakthrough looked to be from Liam Burt who looked a threat throughout, and was finding some good space on the left wing. He was slipped in behind the Saints backline from an Andy Lyons through ball.

The pacey Scotsman showed good feet to cut inside and smash a low drive through a cluster of legs that was well blocked and eventually scrambled wide for a corner kick.

Stephen O’Donnell’s St Pat’s have started the season well with an encouraging draw away at champions Shamrock Rovers, followed by an injury-time victory against Drogheda United, and they really should have broken the deadlock midway through the first half.

Some sloppy play at the back saw Rob Cornwall dispossessed on the edge of his own area but Robbie Benson, under pressure from the recovering Cornwall, dragged his effort just wide of Talbot’s far post.

St Pat’s began to dominate possession, with Coughlan and Mattie Smith looking a threat in behind and clever movement.

With little goalmouth threat as the hosts held their shape well, the Saints came armed with some clever corner routines, which could have paid dividends before the break but Lee Desmond was unable to direct his powerful header goalwards.

The second half started very much a case of copy and paste of the first, as both teams failed to wear each other down with the Inchicore side building well from the back.

Cornwall had a very good chance to give Bohs the lead with a free header at the back post, from another good Breslin delivery.

It took until just after the hour mark for one of the visitors’ smart set pieces to pay off, as Coughlan rose highest from Benson’s inswinging corner to power a header home past the helpless Talbot, who could only push the ball into the roof of the net. That’s two in two now for the ex-Sligo Rovers man.

Bohs finally sprung to life as the urgency in their play increased greatly, but they struggled to carve out that one clear-cut equalising opportunity, with Jaros making just one save throughout the 90 minutes.

The impressive visitors, with a midfield trio of Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon and Benson just had too much guile and graft about them and saw out the game in excellent fashion to keep their unbeaten start to the season intact. The final whistle was met with a huge roar of relief from the travelling party as they find themselves joint top of the league

Bohs were left frustrated with their new-look attack still finding their feet. Up next is a trip to Oriel Park on Friday to face Dundalk.

Bohemians: James Talbot, Andy Lyons, Rob Cornwall, James Finnerty, Anto Breslin, Keith Buckley (c) (Thomas Oluwa 82), Ali Coote, Liam Burt, Dawson Devoy (Keith Ward 68), Ross Tierney, Georgie Kelly. Unused substitutes: Stephen McGuinness, Rory Feely, Ciaran Kelly, Bradley Rolt, Tyreke Wilson, Bastien Hery, Jack Moylan.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Vitezslav Jaros, John Mountney, Sam Bone, Lee Desmond, Ian Bermingham, Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester, Robbie Benson, Darragh Burns (Paddy Barrett 73), Mattie Smith (Jason McClelland 88), Ronan Coughlan (Billy King 78). Unused substitutes: Barry Murphy, Josh Keeley, Kian Corbally, Ben McCormack, Alfie Lewis, Nehum Melvin-Lambert.
Referee: Neil Doyle

Coombes won out initially, but the ball fell to Kate Slevin who shot first time into an empty net.

Bohs did well to get to the interval only two down. Manager Sean Byrne made four changes at the break, as he looked to bring a better performance in the second half.

But it went from bad to worse on the hour mark as Shauna Brennan’s throw-in found Chloe Singleton and she composed herself before flighting in a delightful cross, which found Lyndsey McKey in the six-yard box and she made no mistake from close range.

That goal seemed to kick Bohs into life and they started to play a better and eventually got back into this match in the 71st minute.

Chloe Darby swung in a corner kick that deceived everyone including keeper Maja Zajc and it fizzled into the back of the net to give the team hope.

Darby went very close to grabbing her and Bohs’ second as her long range free-kick cannoned off the crossbar and Galway managed to clear the danger and hold off for all three points.

An overall strong performance from the home side, who thoroughly deserved to win this match.

Bohs’ young side must pick themselves up during this Easter break and come back rejuvenated as they welcome Cork City to Dublin for their next fixture on Saturday April 17th.

Bohemians: Niamh Coombes, Paula Doran, Jade Reddy, Isobel Finnegan, Chloe Flynn (C), Ally Cahill, Sophie Watters, Chloe Darby, Abbie Brophy, Bronagh Kane, Niama Chemaou. Substitutions: Erica Burke for Chemaou (H/T), Annmarie Byrne for Reddy (H/T), Erica Byrne for Cahill (H/T), Aoife Robinson for Chemaou (H/T). Unused substitutes: Niamh Kenna, Katie Lovely, Claire Conlon, Ciara Mulligan, Courtney Maguire (GK).

Galway United: Maja Zajc, Savannah McCarthy, Shauna Fox (C), Shauna Brennan, Chloe Singleton, Aoife Thompson, Lynsdey McKey, Therese Kinnevey, Kate Slevin, Chloe Maloney, Rachel Kearns. Substitutions: Tessa Mullins for Thompson, Elle O’Flaherty for Brennan, Abbie Callinan for Kearns. Substitutes not used: Keara Cormican, Sinead Donovan, Saoirse Healy, Ruth Fahy, Anna Fahy, Trish Fennelly.