Bohemians 1, Shelbourne 0: Friday's slip-up by Bohemians in Waterford looked more costly than ever last night after Ken Oman's memorable 59th-minute goal earned Stephen Kenny's side all three points from a fine game at Dalymount Park and ensured the championship race will remain a two, and even a three- or four-horse race for at least a while longer.

Shelbourne had made the better start with Ollie Cahill forcing Séamus Kelly into action within a minute of the kick-off and Jason Byrne tested the goalkeeper with a low drive not long afterwards. But as the contest settled down it was Bohemians who began to emerge as the dominant force even if their opponents still looked as likely to open the scoring on the break.

In central midfield Kevin Hunt and Stephen Caffrey found plenty of space but out wide neither Dave Morrison nor Bobby Ryan, who was well looked after through the opening half by Dave Rogers, managed to make much of an impression. While the hosts got to push the ball around in midfield for long spells they struggled to open up a Shelbourne defence in which Jamie Harris again performed strongly.

Late in the first half Harris went close to putting his side in front with a header that flew just over from six yards out but inevitably it was Jason Byrne who again caused most problems for Bohemians. The former Bray Wanderers striker repeatedly popped up in dangerous positions around the area, linked up with those around him, particularly Stuart Byrne in midfield and occasionally provided good scoring chances for others.

Wes Hoolahan was another source of difficulty for the Bohemians defence when the visitors hit full stride going forward. When the little winger slipped the ball into the path of Stuart Byrne on the edge of the area midway through the opening period the midfielder shouldn't really have left Kelly with the opportunity to save with his feet.

For Bohemians, Robbie Doyle worked hard to provide a link between midfield and attack but as usual the young striker's contribution was a little erratic. From 25 yards out he had produced the home side's only real chance of the game with a powerful, curling drive that flew just wide of the right post. After that, however, though he contributed a good deal, there was more than one occasion when his finishing let him down.

Not so Oman, the 21-year-old central defender whose record for the night was one 35-yard shot on goal, one scored. Oman came in for Paul McNally last night and capped a decent performance with a breathtaking first goal for the club that flew past Williams and in off the underside of the crossbar.

With half an hour to play and Shelbourne's leading scorer Jason Byrne gone off before the restart due to injury, the balance of things shifted quite markedly with Shelbourne suddenly having to shift up a gear in the hope of preserving an unbeaten league run that stretched back to mid-June and an eight-point lead at the top of the table that they had come to Dalymount hoping to extend into double figures.

In the process they started to look a little less compact at the back and Bohemians finally started to threaten their opponents from out wide.

While the visitors continued to look dangerous on the break there was now enough of the ball to be seen bobbing around their box on occasion for Bohemians to have grabbed a second.

Glen Crowe, however, was particularly subdued and the closest he came to making the scoresheet was 10 minutes from time when Paul Keegan pulled the ball back low from the right, Morrison stepped over it and the striker pushed it just wide of the left-hand post from 15 yards.

Moments later, with Richie Baker on for Thomas Morgan and Shelbourne pushing hard for an equaliser, Stephen Geoghegan tested Kelly with a shot struck wonderfully with the outside of his boot as he pulled in from the right.

Pat Fenlon's side were to come away with nothing to show for all their efforts, though, as Bohemians held on to win a game that will be remembered as one of the season's more entertaining and, perhaps, its most significant.

BOHEMIANS: Kelly; Lynch, Hawkins, Oman, Webb; Ryan, Hunt, Caffrey, Morrison; Doyle (Keegan, 76 mins), Crowe.

SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Harris, T McCarthy, Rogers; Hoolahan, S Byrne, Morgan (R Baker, 81 mins), Cahill; J Byrne (Geoghegan, 59 mins), Rowe (G McCarthy, 72 mins).

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).