Bohemians 3 - 0 St Patricks Athletic

Bohemians inexorable charge towards the eircom Premier League title continued unabated as they swept aside nearest challengers St Patrick's Athletic with a convincing 3-0 victory at Dalymount Park.

After a goalless, yet entertaining first period in which St Pat's had Derek O'Brien sent off and Bohs' Killian Brennnan missed a penalty, a second half wonder-strike from Mark Rossiter set Bohs on their way on 49 minutes before Glen Crowe and substitute Jason Byrne grabbed one each.

The win means that Bohs now require just 12 points from their remaining eight matches to guarantee themselves their first league title since the 2002/2003 season and with four of those games coming against teams in the bottom five, it's virtually unthinkable that Bohs will let it slip now.

Despite grabbing the only goal in the one nil win over Sligo Rovers, Brendan McGill was dropped to the bench with Anthony Murphy lining out on the right hand side of midfield. Pat Fenlon made two other changes with Neale Fenn and Stephen O'Donnell coming in for Jason Byrne and Thomas Heary.

His counterpart, Johnny McDonnell, was also forced to ring the changes following their Setanta Cup draw against Linfield, with influential midfielder Keith Fahey the most notable omission after he failed to recover from a knee injury. Jaroslaw Bialek, Joe O'Cearuill, Ryan Guy and Derek O'Brien all came in, with Stephen Paisley, Stephen Brennan and Bobby Ryan the others to miss out.

The last time these two sides squared up at Dalymount Park was the second weekend of the season when St Pat's ran out comfortable one nil winners. On that occasion Bohs looked like a team in transition and one which would struggle to put together a meaningful title challenge. What a difference six months make, however. Unbeaten in the league since that game, tonight Bohs zipped the ball around the park with confidence and conviction. Pat's on the other hand looked a shadow of the that side from the second week, particularly without their talisman, Fahey, pulling the strings in the middle of the park.

For all their possession, however, Bohs struggled to create anything of note in the fifteen minutes, a weak Killian Brennan shot into the side netting the best they could conjure up.

However, as the half progressed they slowly began to find holes in the Pat's rearguard, with Mark Rossiter bursting through from midfield to nod a searching ball from Owen Heary narrowly wide on 22 minutes. Rossiter then almost turned provider when he again got in behind only to see his cross evade the head of Neale Fenn. Brennan latched on to the loose ball and tumbled under the challenge of a Pat's defender but referee Alan Kelly waved away the winger's appeals for a penalty.

Pat's were struggling to get a foot-hold in the game and what was already proving a difficult challenge got even harder on 27 minutes when Derek O'Brien was shown a straight red card for a crude two-footed lunge on former Saints midfielder Anthony Murphy.

Bohs continued to pin Pat's back into the their half, but it took them until 41 minutes to carve out their next chance. Anthony Murphy knocked the ball in to Glen Crowe, his neat first-time lay-off found Fenn on the edge of the box who nudged it past the defender before deftly chipping the ball over the sprawling hands of Barry Ryan only to see it fall narrowly wide of the post.

Brennan then criminally passed up an opportunity to put Bohs ahead from the penalty spot on 45 minutes when he blasted against the crossbar after O'Donnell had been felled by a clumsy challenge from Gary Dempsey. O'Donnell was then fortunate not to see red in first half injury time following a poor challenge on Dempsey on the edge of the Pat's area.

McDonnell tried to change things around at half-time by replacing Bialek with David Partridge, but his plans were dealt a killer blow just four minutes in to the second period when Rossiter fired a thunderbolt into the top corner of the net from all of 30 yards. It was a strike straight out of the top drawer and one met by wild celebrations from Rossiter and chants of "champions" from the home faithful.

With 57 minutes on the clock, and Pat's still to create a chance of note, Bohs doubled their advantage when Crowe got in behind a static Pat's defence before coolly slotting past Ryan from eight yards. The three points were on their way to Bohemians. Barring a cataclysmic collapse in the remaining in eight matches, they are virtually certain to be followed in a few short weeks by the Premier League title.

Anthony Murphy twice went close in soon after, first with a header from ten yards which he fired straight at Ryan and then with a shot from distance that trundled wide. Bohs weren't to be denied a deserved third goal, however, with Jason Byrne on hand to turn in fellow substitute John Paul Kelly's cross from the right on 84 minutes.

That goal finally seemed to waken Pat's up and they finally managed to create an opening on 86 minutes but Damian Lynch blazed over from ten yards following Quigley's cross from the right. Quigley's free-kick then forced Brian Murphy to tip over in the dying seconds, but it was too little too late for the men from Inchicore on a night when they were outclassed by the champions elect.

Bohemians: Brian Murphy; Owen Heary, Liam Burns, Jason McGuinness, Conor Powell; Anto Murphy (John Paul Kelly 80), Mark Rossiter, Stephen O'Donnell (Thomas Heary 84), Killian Brennan; Glen Crowe (Jason Byrne 77), Neale Fenn.
Subs Not Used: Chris Konopka, Brendan McGill.

St Patrick's Athletic: Barry Ryan; Damien Lynch, Jamie Harris, Jaroslaw Bialek (Dave Partridge 46),  Joe O'Cearuill; Ryan Guy, Gary Dempsey (Bobby Ryan 56), Alan Kirby, Derek O'Brien; Mark Quigley, Glen Fitzpatrick (Gary O'Neill 78).
Subs Not Used: Lance Friesz, Noel Haverty.

Sent Off: D O'Brien (28).

Referee: Alan Kelly.

Attendance: 2,511

Man of the Match: Mark Rossiter (Bohemians).