For the second time this season, Finn Harps scored three goals and lost, on a night when Ollie Horgan’s men saw another player sent off.
Bohemians 5 Finn Harps 3
Caolan McAleer was red carded, for a second bookable offence, in the second half, the fifth sending off of the season for Harps.
Having scored three in their 4-3 home loss to Cork City earlier in the season, Harps hit three in Dalymount, but their wait for a win over Bohs at the Phibsborough – their last was in 1999 – will go on another season.
Ryan Swan hit a brace for Bohemians in the eight-goal cracker.
Bohs took the lead in the opening minute when former Harps player Kevin Devaney was quickest to react after a Keith Ward shot cannoned off the Harps post.
Devaney played for Harps in the 2011 season, but haunted his old club with an early opener from close range.
Harps hit back and were level through Niall Logue.
Logue was included in one of three alterations from the Harps side that lost 4-0 to Derry City last Friday, with Jacob Borg and Mikey Place also in from the off.
Harps had pushed Derry to extra time in the EA Sports Cup on Monday night, before losing 2-1, and Mark Coyle was absent here following his sending off in that one.
Logue finished after Daniel O’Reilly saw a header come off the bar.
McAleer was denied by James Talbot – who is in training with the Republic of Ireland this week – and Bohs were ahead when Swan fired into the unguarded net.
The second half was in its infancy when Harps levelled again as veteran Raffaele Cretaro capitalised when ref’ Graham Kelly played an advantage. Cretaro drilled in from outside the area.
Harps, though, fell behind almost immediately as Danny Mandroiu’s free took a deflection on its way past Peter Burke.
Swan lobbed Burke for another Bohs goal and McAleer was penalised for a foul on Paddy Kirk to get his marching orders.
Keith Ward fired high to stretch the lead and a superb O’Reilly free kick late in the game was scant consolation for Harps.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Andy Lyons, James Finnerty, Aaron Barry, Paddy Kirk; Scott Allardice (Luke Wade-Slater 73), Conor Levingston; Keith Ward (Sam Byrne 81), Danny Mandroiu, Kevin Devaney (Ryan Graydon 78); Ryan Swan.
Finn Harps: Peter Burke; Jacob Borg, Keith Cowan, Niall Logue, Daniel O’Reilly; Tony McNamee, Sam Todd (Gareth Harkin 59); Caolan McAleer, Mikey Place (Mark Timlin 65), Raff Cretaro (Stephen Doherty 75); Sean Boyd.
Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)
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