President Michael D Higgins beams as he cheers on beloved League of Ireland team

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It was an especially laudable feat for John Caulfield's outfit as they had to soldier on with ten men for more than 30 minutes.

Nugent gave the Tribesmen an 18th minute lead with Bohs' first-half performance prompting Alan Reynolds to make three substitutions at the break.

But there was no marked improvement and Galway dug in after Karl O'Sullivan was sent off in the 58th minute for a second bookable offence.

Galway assistant boss Ollie Horgan - calling the shots from the dugout with Caulfield suspended - said: The sending off played into our hands in a funny sort of way.

"We had to get the 10 men behind the ball whereas with 11 v 11 we were trying to push to get a second.

"I thought we defended well, we blocked crosses, we blocked shots and we limited them. It's a good day, I don't know when Galway won up here last."

That was in 2011 but, although Galway overtook Bohs on goal difference with this win, Horgan said: "We need to kick on. The lads have a habit of, when they get a good result, they get carried away a little bit.

"I remember Finn Harps won the first three games of the season and they were talking about going to Europe."

Bohs' European ambitions look in poor health after the worst display since Reynolds took the reins in March and he warned things will have to change.

Reynolds said: "One thing for sure is that's not acceptable. I am not trying to throw players under a bus - I will look at myself and reflect - but we have to be a lot better than that.

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"It's OK raising yourself for a Dublin derby and then you come in and give that?

"We have five/six weeks to get to a window and improve and make things better but I can't fool anyone with that performance. 

"I have given people a chance, no one can come back and say they've not had a chance.

"Everyone is on trial, these players either get better or we find better. I don't want to be talking about moving players on, I just want them to get better."

The goal came after McCarthy picked out Nugent with a throw-in. He played it back to McCarthy.

Dylan Connolly tried to clear but it ricocheted off McCarthy into the path of Nugent and Connolly failed to stop him from cutting in along the byline.

The Ennis man decided to try his luck with a shot with Kacper Chorazka beaten at his near post.