Although there were no goals to cheer, there was plenty of excitement for the 5,000 patrons in this action packed League of Ireland Premier Division encounter between St Pats and Bohemians at Richmond Park.
St Pat's manager Johnny McDonnell, who has been trying out different formations this season played Gary O'Neill and Mark Quigley up front just ahead of Joseph Ndo.
He again was without the injured Stephen Quigley and Anto Murphy but both took a part in the pre-game work outs and completed several laps of the pitch as they fight back to fitness.
John Paul Kelly started for Bohs having proved his fitness after being taken off against Sligo Rovers last Friday night.
Pat's had won nine and drawn the other of their opening ten league and Setanta Sports Cup games to date and the talk around Inchicore amongst fans has been 'Who is going to give us a game?'.
Bohs started as if they had heard that question and wanted to answer in the positive.
They kept the ball on the deck and passed it around confidently and with purpose though it was Pat’s that had the first chance on goal.
That came on five minutes when Dave Mulcahy's cross found Alan Kirby in the box but Kirby's effort went straight at Bohs keeper Brian Murphy.
At the other end on nine minutes Kevin Hunt fired over after an inch perfect ball from Chris Kingsberry. On 19 Kelly was clean through on goal but like Hunt also blasted his strike way over Barry Ryan's crossbar.
Bohs had the upper hand as the half progressed with Hunt, Kelly and Neale Fenn all testing Ryan who was having one his busiest nights of the season so far.
There was plenty of action at either end as the second half got into full swing and the best chance came on 62 minutes when Keith Fahey's free kick for the home side, awarded after Kirby was upended on the edge of the box, was deflected by the Bohs wall.
Fahey had a similar free for Pat's minutes later but again Bohs cleared the danger.
St Patrick's Ath: Ryan, Brennan, Frost, Mulcahy, Maguire, Kirby, Fahey, O’Neill, M Quigley (Rooney 70), Ndo (Guy h/t), Paisley.
Bohemians: Murphy, O Heary, Byrne, Hunt ( T Heary 85) , Fenn, Crowe, Kelly, Kingsberry (Mansaram 70), McGuinness, Pooley, Rice.
Referee: Ian Stokes (Dub).
