Gbemi Arubi’s second-half header denied Bohemians the chance to make their best start to a season in modern times as the Gypsies were frustrated by Dundalk at Dalymount Park.
Alan Reynolds’ side came into the game with 17 points from a possible 21, but despite taking a first-half lead through Patrick Hickey, they struggled to ever really get going against a depleted Lilywhite side with the bulk of their chances coming from set-pieces.
While the Gypsies will view this as a missed chance as their lead at the top was cut to one by St Patrick’s Athletic, their return so far does surpass the 17 points they had after eight matches of both the 2008 and 2009 season when they last won the title.
Ciarán Kilduff’s side were full value for at least a point. Despite missing up to 10 players through injury and suspension, they gave as good as they got to preserve their position in fourth, with just one defeat so far on their return to the top-flight.
The home side could have been ahead inside the opening minute seconds when Colm Whelan got on the end of Ross Tierney’s pass to beat Mayowa Animasahun only to be denied by the legs of Enda Minogue.
The Louth men then had a big chance of their own on five minutes when the ball broke to Harry Groome in the box, but a last gasp challenge saw his shot deflected up and over as the Bohs defence breathed a sigh of relief.
Groome would have another effort saved by Kacper Chorazka a minute later before Zane Myers had a couple of decent runs with finishes that failed to match the quality of the build-up.
The breakthrough arrived on 20 minutes. A debatable free kick was taken short by Dawson Devoy to Markuss Strods, with the Latvian underage international bursting past Eoin Kenny on the left before delivering a teasing cross for Hickey to head home ahead of Harvey Warren.
To their credit, Dundalk didn’t let that setback impact them with Arubi flashing a shot just wide on the resumption before having a volley from Groome’s cross deflect wide off Senan Mullen on 38 minutes.
Hickey did have a chance to double his side’s lead in the 42nd minute when he got on the end of Strods’ corner but on this occasion the American could only glance to the left and wide.
Dundalk then had two big chances to level before the break with Kenny fizzing a shot agonisingly across the face of goal before Warren headed up and over after being picked out by a teasing cross from the right from Arubi that just evaded Daryl Horgan before that.
Former Dundalk midfielder Jordan Flores did go close to doubling the home side’s lead within two minutes of the restart when he flashed a header wide from Strods’ corner before the visitors lost Mayowa Animasahun to injury moments later.
They went close to a leveller on 55 minutes when Bobby Burns’ low drive was turned around the post by Chorazka but two minutes later it was the home side who threatened when Colm Whelan forced a routine save from Minogue.
Tyreke Wilson then forced another good stop from Chorazka before the equaliser arrived on 59 minutes with substitute Sean Spaight keeping Keith Buckley’s raking pass alive on the left before holding off Flores to cross for Arubi to head in ahead of the keeper.
Indeed, Bohs were fortunate not to fall behind in the minutes after that with a cross from the left falling to the unmarked Arubi just eight yards out only for the former Shelbourne player to fire straight at Chorazka at close range.
The Polish keeper, who had only conceded twice all season before this game, was then called into action again in quick succession to save from Arubi and Tyreke Wilson.
Devoy had an effort well off target on 73 minutes before Flores curled a free-kick wide four minutes from time.
Substitute Hugh Martin forced another save from Minogue in stoppage time, but the Lilywhites held out for a deserved share of the spoils.
Bohemians: Chorazka; Power, Hickey, Todd, Mullen (Vaughan 74); Flores, Devoy; Myers (Parsons 60), Tierney, Strods (McDonnell 60); Whelan (Martin 85).
Dundalk: Minogue; JR Wilson, Warren, Animasahun (S Spaight 51), T Wilson; Buckley, Burns; Kenny, Groome (McDaid 68), Horgan; Arubi.
Referee: Rob Hennessy.