Goals in either half from Dinny Corcoran and Jason Byrne proved to be significant at Dalymount Park, as Bohemians held off a strong final-quarter charge from Bray Wanderers to record their seventh league success of 2014.
A depleted Bray were looking to secure back-to-back league triumphs for the first time this season, but when their rearguard failed to deal with Kevin Devaney’s long-punt forward on ten minutes, Corcoran was in the perfect position to head past the advancing Stephen McGuinness.
It was fitting that Devaney provided the assist to the Gypsies striker’s tenth league goal of the current campaign, as he was proving to be the star performer of the opening period.
The Bray defence remained defiant until the interval, but disaster struck just ten seconds after the restart, when Byrne doubled the home side’s advantage from close-range following Corcoran’s initial attempt on goal.
At this point, a Bohs win appeared to be a formality, but Bray received a lifeline after 65 minutes when Byrne inadvertently bundled the ball into his own net.
This helped to ignite the Bray challenge during the closing moments, but despite losing Eoin Wearen to a straight red-card in stoppage-time, the hosts ultimately emerged victorious.
BOHEMIANS: Delany; Pender, Price, Lopes, Memery; Devaney (Walsh, 86), Wearen, Mulcahy, Moore (Buckley, 89); Byrne (Kavanagh, 70), Corcoran.
BRAY WANDERERS: McGuinness; Cooney, Webster, Gorman, Moloney (Brown, 56); Noble (Swan, 64), G Kelly, Zambra, Hanlon; J Kelly; McDonagh.
Referee: K O’Regan (Kerry).