Glen Crowe rescued Bohemians last night with a desperate equaliser 18 minutes from time as the champions' season showed no sign of picking up.

Indeed, the crisis at Dalymount Park seemed set to deepen further after John Flanagan's first-half goal lifted Dundalk's gloom.

Ahead of the game Bohemians' manager Pete Mahon had no doubt about what was important for his side, who had won just once in their previous 11 games. "It's got to the stage now where our performance is irrelevant, winning is all that counts," wrote Mahon in his programme notes.

And Mahon's confidence-sapped team seemed incapable of winning this match.

With Kevin Hunt running the game in midfield, Bohemians took the game to their visitors and Crowe might have eased their nerves on seven minutes but failed to connect with Dave Morrison's cross from the right.

One of the best passages of football of the first half on 20 minutes resulted in Trevor Molloy drilling the ball a foot wide of John Connolly's left-hand post after Crowe laid off Dave Hill's long throw with his chest.

Dundalk's goal after 29 minutes came courtesy of a double error in the home defence. Michael Dempsey's awkward parry of James Keddy's corner was followed by critical hesitation by Anthony Shevlin and Flanagan shot home from 10 yards.

Bohemians virtually laid siege to the Dundalk goal from then until half-time.

Fergal Harkin's surging run and Crowe's subtle lay-off set up Morrison to fire narrowly wide while Trevor Molloy volleyed over after fine work on the right by Hunt.

Chances for Crowe and Tony O'Connor were saved by Connolly before the introduction of Mark Dempsey on 71 minutes.

Dempsey, who scored after coming on in Monaghan the previous week, whipped his free kick into the area and Crowe rose well to head past Connolly. The relief was palpable.

BOHEMIANS: Michael Dempsey; O'Connor, Caffrey, Shevlin, Hill; Morrison, Hunt, Harkin, Folan; Molloy, Crowe. Subs: Mark Dempsey for Hill (71 mins); O'Neill for Folan (83 mins).

DUNDALK: Connolly; Hoey, McGuinness, Broughan, Crawley; Kavanagh, Prizeman, Flanagan, Keddy; Ward, Nesovic. Subs: Reilly for Nesovic (72 mins); Robinson for Ward (78 mins).

Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).