The result may not provide the springboard for the late championship charge that Bohemians had been aiming for, but it was far from the devastating defeat suffered by Shamrock Rovers the last time everybody was talking about the title race opening up.

The draw probably suited leaders Shelbourne rather than the team they still lead by four points, but on balance a point was no more than either side deserved from last night's match at Dalymount. The game was passionately fought, but it was a generally scrappy encounter.

The opening minutes promised much, but as the game settled it developed a pattern of repeated stoppages for niggling challenges and badly finished half-chances.

The home side created more chances, but it was always a toss up as to which of the two teams would open the scoring. The hosts played the more open, creative football, but their visitors were always quick to press forward on the break.

Had Richie Baker been in better form early on he might have provided clear-cut chances for brother Dessie and Stephen Geoghegan during the opening half hour.

It took a neat piece of individual skill by Geoghegan, who turned inside his marker before driving inches over from the edge of the area, to seriously threaten Michael Dempsey's goal. By then it was beginning to become obvious that Bohemians manager Roddy Collins hadn't quite, for all his claims to the contrary, figured out the secret of how to beat the league leaders. But the very least Collins and his players should have learned during the course of their three days of preparation at a Dublin hotel was how to defend set-pieces.

Bohemians went behind twice in their FAI Cup match with UCD following corners, but the lesson didn't seem to have sunk in and on 38 minutes Dempsey was once again forced to pick the ball out of his goal after some sloppy, dead-ball defensive work.

Stephen Geoghegan's headed goal, after Dessie Baker's corner had been helped on, came against the run of play, for the home side had played the more confident football through the opening period, forcing their opponents to defend deep as Pascal Vaudequin, Paul Byrne and Ray Kelly did most of the pressing.

Just as they did against the students, Collins's side kept their heads. And not long after the second half got under way they were rewarded - in somewhat unlikely circumstances - when Vaudequin's cross was flicked on by Stephen Caffrey and, under very little pressure, Paul Doolin used his arm as well as his chest to control the ball. The penalty decision was met with delight on the part of the Bohemians supporters, and the identity of the culprit - a Dalymount old boy - prompted something closer to delirium.

Byrne gave Steve Williams no hope whatsoever with his spotkick and he should have had the opportunity to repeat the trick 11 minutes later. Tony McCarthy's mistake 35 yards out left his team-mates scrambling after Kelly and Byrne.

The former Celtic player ended up with the chance and looked to have done enough to score when he chipped the oncoming Williams, but Owen Heary pushed the ball wide with his arm as he hurtled in across the face of the goal. The offence was missed by referee John Feighery, however, and the home had to settle for a corner.

Dermot Keely's side regained their stride as the game moved into its closing stages and might have snatched a winner through Pat Fenlon's long-range shot or from Pat Scully's attempt to steal in ahead of Dempsey for a dangerous-looking cross. They could have no complaints, though, particularly after Byrne went close in injury-time with a low drive that sped just the wrong side of the left-hand post.

Bohemians: Dempsey; Vaudequin, Maher, John, Brunton; Byrne, Hunt, Caffrey, G O'Connor; Crowe, Kelly. Subs: O'Connor for Brunton (half-time), Swan for Crowe (72 mins), Shelbourne: Williams; Heary, Scully, McCarthy, Hutchison; R Baker, Doolin, Fenlon, Keddy; D Baker, S Geoghegan. Subs: Campbell for Doolin (68 mins), Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).