First, Ryan McEvoy burst through the defence and was hauled down right on the edge of the box. There were calls for a penalty, but Alan Kelly gave a free-kick instead. Unfortunately, the Bohs No 9, who is well known for his free-kicks, blasted this particular set-piece wide.

Then Corcoran found himself with only a defender to beat on the edge of the box not long afterwards, but the experienced Aidan Price snuffed out the chance.

This served as a wake-up call for Liam Buckley’s men as they took the lead minutes later. A great move was finished off by Kavanagh after some good link-up play between former Bohs duo Chris Forrester and Ger O’Brien on the right-hand flank.

The fact the Gypsies had fallen behind in similar circumstances before snatching a draw at the same venue and against the same opposition already this season must have given them hope of salvaging the situation once again. But Pat’s began to turn the screw and looked like they were the more likely team to get the next goal.

Conan Byrne was The Saints’ star man as he forced saves out of Dean Delany. Another great move again involving Byrne laid a chance on a plate for Kavanagh to double his tally but he fluffed his lines and the sides went in level at half-time.

Owen Heary was clearly upset with his side’s first-half effort and he shuffled his pack at the break. Daniel Byrne and Conor Murphy were taken off for Keith Buckley and Stephen Traynor. These changes stirred the away side into action but before Corcoran had the chance to level the game, it was Pat’s looked capable of extending their lead.

And it was another former Bohs player who looked like doing it. Christy Fagan first saw his shot deflected into the side-netting and, even more agonisingly for the former Manchester United trainee he had a goal disallowed for offside after he tapped Forrester’s cross.

This proved to be the turning point as ball went straight up the other end and an attempted pass-back from Ian Bermingham left Corcoran one-on-one with Brendan Clarke. He took the ball round the keeper and was left with an acute angle but he somehow found a way to finish it and Bohs were level.

This left a nervy final 15 minutes for those watching the game in the away end but the Pat’s were left with a couple of half-chances as the result, coupled with Dundalk’s win against UCD, knocked them off the top of the table. The joy at the end of the game was there for all to see and Heary was delighted to see his side move a point further from the relegation zone.

ST PAT’S: Clarke; O’Brien, Kenna, Price, Bermingham; Forrester (Maher 75), McFaul (Bolger 79), Brennan; Byrne, Fagan (Flood 79), Kavanagh.

BOHEMIANS: Delany; Pender, Murphy, Lopes, L Byrne; Moore, McEvoy, D Byrne (Traynor 46), Mulligan; Corcoran (Devaney 87), C Murphy 5 (Buckley 46).

REFEREE: A Kelly (Cork).

Dinny Corcoran shoots from a tight angle to level the game – Pic by Eddie Lennon