Bohemians' sticky patch of results finally came to an end tonight with a win at home to a Finn Harps side whose struggles at the bottom of the table continue.
Ahead of this game you would have predicted a cagey affair, but instead we got two goals in the opening two minutes which raised the spirits of a rather subdued Dalymount Park crowd.
It was the home side who took the lead after just forty seconds through Kevin Devaney.
Danny Mandriou played a nice ball out to Keith Ward on the right wing, his shot blasted off the far post and landed to the feet of Devaney, who passed the ball into the Harps goal.
Perfect Start?
The perfect start. Or so they thought.
No more than two minutes later Finn Harps had an equaliser, and much like the Bohs opener, it came with a bit of luck.
Tony McNamee played a good ball in from the left hand side of the box, Daniel O'Reilly struck the crossbar with his header, and Niall Logue was first to react and he finished well past Talbot in goals.
With key players out injured, it was always going to be a big game for Danny Mandroiu who, had a chance to prove himself as a real leader in Keith Long's team.
He certainly showed signs of taking on the responsibility for that - playing the key pass for Keith Ward's shot - the midfielder was also involved in the second goal for Bohemians.
Scott Allardice sent a high ball into the back post and Mandroiu battled hard to get his head on the ball. He could only find the post with his head, but the rebound was met by Ryan Swan in the six yard box, to put the home side ahead for the second time in the game.
Ollie Horgan got exactly the kind of response he would've wanted as Raff Cretaro fired home a beautiful goal from 25 yards out to level the game just two minutes into the second half.
That goal was cancelled out almost immediately though with Mandroiu getting himself on the goal sheet with a deflected free kick from around 30 yards out.
Bohemians got a decisive goal on the 50 minute mark with Ryan Swan getting his second of the game to put a bit of breathing space between the sides.
Paddy Kirk played a nice ball over the top of the Finn Harps defense, Swan beating Sam Todd to the ball and lobbing Peter Burke from just inside the penalty box.
Things went from bad to worse for Finn Harps, who went down to 10 men a few minutes later. Caolan McAleer receiving marching orders for a silly foul, his second yellow of the game.
Keith Ward killed any hopes of a Harps recovery, making it 5-2 with ten minutes left on the clock.
Andy Lyons played a brilliant ball across the box to Ward who turned and fired with his left foot into the roof of the net.
Daniel O'Reilly got the goal of the game with five minutes remaining, but his rocket free-kick will be but a consolation prize for Harps.
Another poor result for the struggling Finn Harps, but a much-needed win for Keith Long's young Bohs side.
TEAMS:
BOHEMIANS: 1. James Talbot, 4. Aaron Barry, 6. Scott Alardice, 7. Danny Mandriou, 10. Keith Ward, 11. Kevin Devaney, 14. Conor Livingston, 18. James Finnerty, 19. Andy Lyons, 22. Paddy Kirk, 24. Ryan Swan
FINN HARPS: 37. Peter Burke, 3 Daniel O'Reilly, 4 Jacob Borg, 5. Keith Cowen, 7 Caolan McAleer, 10. Raf Cretaro, 15. Mikey Place, 19 Sean Boyd, 22. Sam Todd, 26. Tony McNamee, 50. Niall Logue.
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