Two second half goals by Bohemians poured further misery on Finn Harps at Dalymount Park last night.
It was Harps’ third defeat in a row and with Derry City waiting in the wings for next week’s North-West derby, Ollie Horgan’s side need vital points to steady their leaking ship.
The only consolation came from outside their control with both Wexford Youths and Longford Town also losing out leaving some daylight between Harps and the bottom rung clubs.
Sub Jake Kelly and Ismahil Akinade were on target for the Gypsies in a game which saw chances fall to both sides.
Former Ipswich and Crumlin goalkeeper Shane Supple managed to thwart Ramelton man Tony McNamee and Ruairi Keating in the opening half.
At the other end his counterpart Richard Brush also managed to keep a first half clean-sheet with saves from efforts by Derek Predergast.
Keating showed improvement than the man who had lived on scraps against Wexford Town a week earlier and tested Supple at least twice after the restart.
But it was the home side who went in from through Kelly when he latched onto a lovely pass from Akinade to register in the 67th minute.
Horgan threw caution to the wind and brought on Ryan Curran, Adam Hanlon and Dave Scully for the closing stages but Bohs had regained their grip on the game.
Bohs scorer Kelly almost stole in for a second before they eventually did net again two minutes from time when Akinade met a cross to finish past Brush.
Bohemians: Shane Supple, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Stephen Best, Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Ian Morris (Eoin Wearen 63), Roberto Lopes, Paddy Kavanagh, Mark Quigley, Kurtis Byrne, Ismahil Akinade (Marco Chindea 89).
Finn Harps: Richard Brush, Josh Mailey, Ciaran Coll, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Tommy McMonagle (Dave Scully 81), Ethan Boyle (Ryan Curran 75), Barry Molloy, Ruairi Keating, Sean Houston, Tony McNamee (Adam Hanlon 75).
