Bohemian Football Club Crest

Bohemians fell to their third defeat of the season as Wayne Hatswell's maiden goal for Dundalk was enough to secure the Lilywhites their first win over the champions since the FAI Cup final in 2002.

The champions had the first sighting of goal after 8 minutes. Gareth McGlynn chased what looked like a lost cause, cleverly winning a corner off Wayne Hatswell. The winger showed further quick thinking, playing the set-piece short to Ruaidhri Higgins but with the Dundalk defence caught off guard, Glen Cronin lifted his 20-yard shot over the bar.

Mark Quigley then fired a further warning shot across the home side's bow when he cut inside Liam Burns and Shaun Kelly to let fly. Luckily for Dundalk Peter Cherrie stood firm to block with his effort.

Such was Bohemians' dominance of possession in the opening half hour that the biggest cheer from the home crowd came when Jason Byrne sliced a free-kick wildly over the bar from 25-yards.

Dundalk were dealt a further blow when the in form JJ Melligan had to depart with an injury in the 26th minute. His replacement, teenager Johnny Breen, almost made an instant impact from Fahrudin Kuduzovic's pass but Jason McGuinness poked the ball clear at the vital moment.

Quigley then set up Higgins with some fancy footwork but the former Derry star dragged his shot wide on the stroke of half-time as both sides went in scoreless at the break.

The second-half opened as the first had finished. Jason Byrne diverted a Cronin volley over the bar with his head and Cherrie had to be quick off his line to deny Cronin after Quigley had picked him out with a stunning pass.

The home side almost took the lead on the hour mark when Neale Fenn looked to have squeezed his effort in at the near post only for Barry Murphy to tip the effort wide at the last minute.

However, they made their mark late on when Hatswell found himself in the right place at the right time to clinch a win that keeps Dundalk sitting nicely perched in the upper reaches of the table after round one.

Dundalk: 1 Peter Cherrie; 2 Shaun Kelly, 6 Liam Burns (captain), 5 Garry Breen, 3 Wayne Hatswell; 14 Stephen Maher, 4 Tom Miller, 14 JJ Melligan (19 Johnny Breen, 26 mins); 9 Fahrudin Kuduzovic (12 Michael Synnott, 90 mins), 10 Neale Fenn (15 Ciaran McGuigan, 83 mins), 11 Ross Gaynor.

Substitutes not used: 17 Tiarnan Mulvenna, 22 Matt Gregg.

Booked: Hatswell, 76 mins.

Bohemians: 1 Barry Murphy; 15 Brian Shelley, 5 Jason McGuinness, 6 Stephen Gray, 2 Mark Rossiter; 7 Gareth McGlynn (18 Killian Brennan, 72 mins), 4 Glen Cronin, 8 Paul Keegan (captain), 11 Ruaidhri Higgins (12 Paddy Madden, 64 mins), 9 Mark Quigley (14 Aaron Greene; 80 mins); 10 Jason Byrne.

Substitutes not used: 3 Conor Powell, 25 Chris O'Connor.

Booked: Glen Cronin, 90 mins.

Referee: Dave McKeown (Meath).