Another Friday in Dalymount, another derby defeat for Bohemians but the supportive full-time reaction from their supporters reflected the mixed feelings this thrilling encounter generated.

Thirty minutes of madness sent the league leaders into the break two goals and a man down and the fact Declan Devine’s men bounced back to set up a grandstand finish will allow them to take some positives from the exercise.

But it’s St Patrick’s Athletic that will take the most satisfaction from this encounter, even if they again showed they aren’t the most efficient side against 10 men. A defeat from that scenario against Sligo Rovers earlier this season put Tim Clancy in a tricky situation. Four wins on the bounce have now put his charges within four points of the lead.

It’s been that kind of season.

With a quarter of an hour on the clock, all was well in Bohemians’ world.

They led courtesy of Adam McDonnell’s 13th minute volley, an exceptional left footed strike that temporarily allowed the natives to forget that player of the month Ali Coote was missing.

St Pat’s had started shakily at the back, perhaps understandably given that the ever-present Joe Redmond was missing. It was shaping up nicely for the league leaders until a Chris Forrester corner found its way through a number of bodies to Eoin Doyle who got a slight touch to beat James Talbot.

Then, the Bohs rearguard switched off as a deep cross from Anto Breslin was greeted at the far post by the in-from Jason McClelland.

Bohs had defended stoutly in Monday’s big win in Derry but a lapse of concentration from Polish centre half Kacper Radkowski which almost gifted the guests a third summed up the contrast in application.

Bohs continued to create chances, with Saints keeper Dean Lyness a busy man, but Clancy’s troops had their number on the break. Jamie Lennon was integral to the third goal, instigating a one-two with McClelland before releasing Eoin Doyle whose shot was palmed into the path of the grateful Mark Doyle to make it 3-1.

Clancy had trusted teenager Adam Murphy in the number six slot for the Saints with the more experienced Lennon and Forrester breaking on ahead of him.

Murphy (18) showed his potential while Lennon thrived in an advanced role, his alertness to capitalise on a mistake from Jordan Flores drawing a clumsy foul from the Bohs midfielder that was adjudged to be a straight red by ref Paul McLaughlin who initially played an advantage.

The fear was that this would kill the game as a contest but Bohs had other ideas, a treble change on the hour mark igniting proceedings with strong running in central areas troubling the Inchicore side.

Two subs combined to add suspense with James Clarke’s run and a tidy finish from Dean Williams producing a guttural Dalymount roar.

It would have gone to another level if Dylan Connolly had kept his composure from the restart, the Bohs winger squandering the chance to rescue a point from an impossible position.

Clancy worked his bench to try and shut things down, but lost substitute Tommy Lonergan to a second yellow card in the 92nd minute.

Bohs continued to knock on the door with Clarke at the heart of it and they won a free on the edge of the box in injury time before a lengthy stoppage created by a medical emergency in the stands allowed the Saints to regroup.

When play restarted, they did just enough to hold out.

Bohemians: Talbot, Benn (Clarke 60), Horton, Radkowski, Kirk; Buckley, Flores; Connolly (O’Sullivan 71), McDonnell (Williams 60), McDaid (Twardek 60); Afolabi

St Patrick’s Athletic: Lyness, Curtis, Lewis, McGrath, Breslin; Murphy (Kreida 65), Lennon (Carty 76); McClelland (Timmermans 65), Forrester, M Doyle (Atakayi 82); E Doyle (Lonergan 82)

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.