National League/Bohemians 0 St Patrick's Athletic 0: Bohemians may well feel their lowly league position is not an accurate reflection of recent performances but there was little on offer last night to support that theory.

Player-manager Gareth Farrelly was openly critical of his side when losing to Derry a week ago and he might well sleep uneasily when reflecting on this uneven display he witnessed from the sidelines.

St Patrick's, on the other hand, have made a relatively impressive start to their campaign and manager John McDonnell will welcome the point gained.

Moreover, he will be particularly pleased with the manner in which his players closed out the game and forced the hosts to defend deep in a tense but scrappy conclusion.

Both sides showed plenty of appetite and enthusiasm in a bustling opening spell but passes went badly astray all too often. St Patrick's made a particularly lively start and the speed at which they closed down their opponents was admirable.

Time and again the visitors forced their hosts into rushed moves when, perhaps, a more patient approach would have benefited Bohemians.

But St Patrick's were far from clinical in attack and, indeed, lost some of their thrust when winger Mark Rutherford was forced off with an early injury.

Full-back Anthony Murphy pushed on to try fill the void but Bohemians, after a shaky start, had improved collectively by this stage and successfully suppressed much of what came their way. Kevin Hunt and Mark O'Brien's spoiling work was impressive and, indeed, it wasn't long before Farrelly's side had tipped the balance in their favour.

Fergal Harkin proved a threat down the left and he linked cleverly with Byrne when the defender overlapped. Indeed, had St Patrick's captain Darragh Maguire not made a crucial intervention, Stephen Ward's header from Byrne's cross would have tested goalkeeper Barry Ryan.

Soon after, Tony Grant crossed for Ward, who had made space in a promising position, but again Maguire stepped in to clear whilst under pressure.

In a bid to inject fresh life into a dreary contest, Farrelly, himself not in action owing to injury, introduced winger John Paul Kelly for defender Barry Ferguson at the break.

St Pat's too made a change with Mark Quigley replacing Trevor Molloy who was not best pleased with his manager's decision. The substitute, though, put himself about and, from one of his crosses, Paul Keegan's shot at the near post went narrowly over.

Bohemians' frustration was compounded with nine minutes remaining when defender Jason McGuinness, already on a yellow, received a straight red for a rash challenge on Keegan.

BOHEMIANS: O'Brien; Rice, Ferguson, McGuinness, Byrne; Heary, O'Brien, Hunt, Harkin; Grant, Ward. Subs: Kelly for Ferguson (half-time). Powell for Harkin (82). Booked: McGuinness(36). Sent off: McGuinness (81).

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; Murphy, Brennan, Maguire, Frost; Rutherford, M Foley, Mulcahy, O'Connor; Molloy, Keegan. Subs: S Quigley for Rutherford (9), M Quigley for Molloy (58). Booked: Keegan (74).

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).