Bohemians are already marked as pretenders

NINETY points to play for but already two significant blows have been struck. Bohemians have thrown down the marker for everybody else, opportunistic back-to-back wins over the Cup holders and the champions maintaining their 100 per cent record, with the latter now eight points adrift.

By no stretch of the imagination could last night's match be described as a classic, and yet another dreadfully unsatisfactory refereeing performance - this one courtesy of a discernibly uncertain Hughie Byrne - added to St Patrick's deep sense of frustration.

A risible free-kick award, leading to Bohemians' crucial second goal before the break, and the 87th minute dismissal of Ricy O'Flaherty after he angrily maintained the ball had remained in play when he dispossessed Dave Henderson outside the area, were but two of the decisions which prompted a garda escort for Byrne as he ran the gauntlet of Brian Kerr and his aggrieved players at the end.

If the truth be told, their acute sense of frustration was possibly as much to do with an often toothless display, obliged as they were to chase the game for much of the night. Despite a monopoly of possession, and incessant promptings from Eddie Gormley, St Patrick's looked stale and too often resorted to an aerial bombardment of a well populated Bohemians area.

After a defensively uncertain start, when loose balls and half-chances proliferated from set-pieces, this was meat and drink to James Coll and the outstanding Maurice O'Driscoll. In a lively, end-to-end opening, Bohemians gave as good as they got, and once ahead from the 10th minute through the effervescent Derek Swan, they were always going to make it a difficult night for St Patrick's.

Swan was on hand when Paul Doolin dispossessed Packie Lynch and forced a brave block from Brian McKenna, the striker pouncing to steer the rebound into an empty net.

Bohemians could then afford to invite St Patrick's on to them. Set-pieces apart, only in the final five minutes of the half did the champions threaten to level, O'Flaherty's determination creating an opening for Gormley 22 yards out, he chipped Henderson delightfully only to see the ball drift fractionally wide.

A dipping 25-yarder three minutes later, veered off the turf and forced Henderson to tip the ball over from under his bar, but on half-time Bohemians, ventured out to strike again. Peter Hanrahan beat two men only to be tackled cleanly by the third, seemingly at the expense of a corner, but the referee awarded a free on the edge of the area.

Paul Campbell was first to Tommy Byrne's ensuing delivery, but Brian Mooney latched on to the loose ball, cut inside and shot into the roof of the net from about 15 yards.

That left St Patrick's with a veritable mountain to climb in the second half. After 79 minutes a Gormley free finally saw O'Flaherty lose his marker to turn a sweet glancing header into the bottom corner.

Jonathan Prizeman shot wide on the break at the other end, before a long-range John Byrne drive whizzed over the bar and then O'Flaherty's intemperance forfeited any slim chance of a point for the champions.