A late winning goal from Alex Nesovic left Bohemians as the only viable contenders to Shelbourne for the Premier Division title as they beat St Patrick's Athletic in a tempestuous Dublin derby at Dalymount Park on Saturday night.
Nesovic, on the pitch just minutes, headed home Paul Byrne's cross with less than a minute of normal time remaining. "The will to win among the players is phenomenal," said a delighted Roddy Collins, the Bohemians manager.
"It was a must win game to keep the pressure on Shelbourne. Since the season started again we've won six out of seven. My target is Europe and if we win our remaining matches we're guaranteed that. We've also got a Cup Final to look forward to."
Glen Crowe put Bohemians in front on 27 minutes, also from a Byrne cross after the influential winger had played a corner short to Trevor Molloy.
Paul Osam got St Patrick's back into the match with a headed goal from a Martin Russell free-kick four minutes into the second-half.
The loss of Robbie Griffin to a second yellow card 10 minutes from time was to prove costly for St Patrick's as Bohemians upped the pressure and got their deserved win to leave them just three points behind Shelbourne with three to play.
Bohemians: Russell; O'Connor, Caffrey, Maher, Hill; Byrne, Hunt, Fullam (Webb, h/t, Nesovic 84), Rutherford; Crowe, Molloy.
St Patrick's Athletic: S Kelly; Burke, Maguire, S McGuinness, K Doyle (Quinn, 89); Croly (Holt, h/t), Griffin, Osam, Russell; McCarthy, L Kelly (Foley, 78). Referee: E Barr (Dublin).
