Danny Grant scored a hat-trick as Bohemians beat Shelbourne 3-1 at Tolka Park to reduce the gap back to eight points behind Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers with four games to play.
Andre Wright threaded a pass through for winger Grant to open the scoring on 29 minutes.
Shelbourne wasted a chance to level on 67 minutes when Georgie Poynton’s penalty was saved by James Talbot.
Bohemians extended their lead six minutes later when Wright again set up Grant to shoot home off a post.
The hat-trick arrived on 80 minutes, Grant following up to find the far corner after Wright’s shot had been parried by Colin McCabe.
Poynton redeemed his penalty miss with Shelbourne’s consolation goal two minutes from time.
A 2-1 victory at bottom side Cork City gave St Patrick’s Athletic their first back-to-back wins of the season to move them up to fourth place in the table.
An own goal by veteran defender Alan Bennett gifted St Pat’s an eighth minute lead before winger Jordan Gibson doubled it two minutes later.
Their captain Gearoid Morrissey pulled a goal back for Cork just before half-time.
