Dundalk and Bohemians will have to do it all over again in a replay on Tuesday following this stalemate in their FAI Cup quarter-final tie at Oriel Park.

 

There was little to fire the imagination early on as both sides cancelled each other out but Dundalk fans were given encouragement in the 16th minute when Mark Quigley attempted an curling lob which went wide of Barry Murphy's post.

Quigley has enjoyed a new lease of life since arriving at Oriel Park this season and he went close again with two chances in quick succession, forcing Murphy into a save low down in the 23rd minute before drilling an effort wide following a neat interchange with Marc Griffin just seconds later.

Bohs took time to get into things but they did have the best chance of the half in the 33rd minute. Killian Brennan's right footed cross deceived Simon Madden at the back post. It bounced kindly for Ger O'Brien but the midfielder trashed his effort into the side netting from close range.

Brennan was agsin the creator for another decent effort for the Gypsies in the 40th minute, his delivery ending with Peter Cherrie having to make a fine stop to pull an Aiden Downes header into his grasp.

The opening 20 minutes of the second-half proved similar to the first with both sides struggling to gain the upper hand.

Dundalk hearts skipped a beat in the 56th minute when Cherrie let an O'Brien cross slip from his grasp in his six-yard box. Luckily for Dundalk, Dean Bennett was on hand to clear the loose ball.

At the other end, the home side had claims for a penalty waved away eight minutes later when the ball appeared to catch Stephen Hurley on the hand. In referee Anthony Buttimer's defence, there was little the Bohs player could do to prevent it.

The game seemed to open up briefly after that and Quigley just couldn't readjust his body enough to turn an effort on target after Griffin had picked Liam Burns' pocket in the box.

Play switched to the other end moments later and Anto Flood saw a right footed effort saved by Cherrie. It proved to be the last real opening of the game as the tie petered out to ensure a replay on Tuesday night.

DUNDALK: Cherrie; Madden, C Byrne, Bennett, McHugh; Breen, Ward, Bolger, Gaynor; Quigley, Griffin (J Byrne 78).

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Heary, Price, Burns, Rossiter; Flood (Buckley 76), Cronin, Hurley (Bayly 67), Brennan, O'Brien (Traynor 82); Downes.

REFEREE: A Buttimer (Cork).