There were always those who felt that in the event Bohemians clinched the Eircom League at Tolka Park yesterday the silverware should be kept under wraps for the visit of Derry to Dalymount for the club's last game of the season, by which time a decent party might have been organised to mark the occasion.

Having decided to press ahead after the team beat Shelbourne thanks to an 89th-minute header from Bobby Ryan, though, it would at least have been nice had they hung on yesterday until the bulk of the championship-winning players were on hand to take part in the presentation.

As Kevin Hunt led the handful of players who had stayed on the pitch after the game up to collect the trophy, there was some confusion as to where the majority of the squad had got to.

Repeated appeals for them to join their teammates came to nothing and it wasn't until the presentation was more or less over that a stream of them appeared from the direction of the dressing-room, with Colin Hawkins and Simon Webb frantically leading the way.

It was a chaotic moment of triumph after a season that has gone almost like clockwork for the Phibsborough club. They topped the table from beginning to end and, on their day, produced football of a quality that comfortably overshadowed anything managed by their rivals.

For their captain, the achievement felt better than two years ago when they stole up on Shelbourne and nicked the championship on the very last day. "This time we led all the way," Hunt said, "and people questioned our bottle and character. But we showed them out there today and that feels very nice indeed."

Stephen Kenny, the club's soft-spoken manager, had almost lost his voice completely in the emotion of the occasion when he reflected on the first major success of his career.

"I'm delighted for the team, players like Kevin Hunt and Glen Crowe should win all of the awards this year because they have been terrific for us week in week out," he said. "The hard work for this was done last year when we persuaded our best players to stay at the club. Most of them are committed to Bohemians on three-year contracts and the aim now will be to build on this success, I've already identified players that I want to add to the squad for next season, winning this title should be seen as a stepping stone."

On the day he took over at Dalymount Park last season, Kenny made it clear that his ambition was to build a team capable of competing in Europe and, having seen his players secure their place in the Champions League qualifiers, he left us in little doubt regarding his determination to deliver in that department.

"I still have it all to prove," he said while clearly struggling to contain his emotions. "The only thing this means is that I'll be in this job for a little bit longer. If we hadn't won the league, then the knives would probably have been out for me and you lot would have been sharpening them. I'm not complaining, that's the business I'm in and I accept that.

"What we'll do now, though, is prepare like no other team has ever prepared for Europe. I'm not going to make any stupid predictions but what I will say is that if I have the resources then I'll bring this club places... there's no question about that."

Kenny wasn't the only emotional one. A few feet away from the manager stood Derek Coughlan, the former Cork City defender signed last year.

"I'm seven seasons in the League of Ireland and I was beginning to think it might never come for me," grinned the 25-year-old defender. "I came so close in my time with my City, but to finally have the medal feels great. I can't describe the way I feel now.

"But they're a great bunch of lads here," he added, "and a great club. A lot of people could do with taking a look at the way Bohemians do their business."

After yesterday, it's safe to assume a lot of people will.