Bohemians 1; Waterford United 1: Neale Fenn's late equaliser ensured Bohemians' leadership of the Premier Division table lasted just 72 hours.

Beating their main rivals Shelbourne at Tolka Park earlier in the week looked like being some kind of catalyst for their title retention aspirations as they went top of the table for the first time this season.

But last night Stephen Kenny's side produced a performance lacking in purpose as they failed to build on Glen Crowe's early goal and handed their leadership straight back to whence it came.

Fenn's telling goal arrived on 72 minutes. Wayne Fitzgerald got a vital header to Kevin Waters' corner, Waterford's first of the match, and Fenn controlled the dropping ball to turn and shoot home his third goal of the season from less than six yards out.

Advantage erased and the pendulum swings firmly towards Shelbourne.

There was to be a twist at the death, however, as Crowe had a glorious opportunity to win it for Bohemians five minutes from time.

Simon Webb got forward to play in substitute Mark Rutherford, who ghosted in behind the Waterford defence down the left. The cross was delivered on a plate for Crowe six yards out, but, with the goal gaping, the Irish international somehow shot high over the bar.

In a generally lethargic first half, with the football lacking any real spark, Bohemians never seriously imposed their game on a Waterford side that came to play with purpose. Not that that mattered, as Bohemians trooped off at the break a deserved goal to the good.

Inevitably it came from Crowe, who redeemed a miss inside the first minute to make amends 12 minutes later with a well-taken goal, his 18th of the league season.

Jimmy McGeough, the Waterford manager, won't have been happy with the goal as there didn't appear to be a threat as Shay Kelly's clearance bounced towards the visitors' goal.

But some hesitancy by the Waterford defence was clinically punished as Crowe turned inside the area to drill a right-footed shot past Dan Connor.

It was a sloppy way for Waterford to fall behind as they had started confidently, with Fenn's touch and positional sense always a threat.

As early as three minutes Fenn found himself in acres of space, following Daryl Murphy's flick, only to chip straight into the arms of Kelly, the guile that created the space for the opening not matched by the finish.

It wouldn't be the only time Kelly's goal was seriously threatened before the break when a little more conviction from the Blues might have had them level.

A rash charge off his line from Kelly left him stranded as Murphy got on the end of Mark Clifford's through ball.

The Bohemians' goalkeeper redeemed his poor positional sense by diving full stretch to parry away Murphy's shot.

Having escaped, Bohemians ought to have doubled their lead on 32 minutes.

A marauding run forward by right-back Damien Lynch carved through the Waterford defence, but the resurgent Paul Keegan failed to apply the finish to his team-mates endeavour by pulling his shot wide of the far post.

It might have been a costly miss but for an agile save from Kelly on 40 minutes.

Fenn's elusiveness again caught out the Bohemians defence as he found himself in on goal from Kevin O'Brien's pass. The finish again was not what it might have been, though, as his early shot was pushed away by Kelly.

BOHEMIANS: Kelly; Lynch, Hawkins, Oman, Webb; Ryan, Hunt, Heary (Caffrey, 23 mins), Morrison (Rutherford, 79 mins); Keegan (Ward, 83 mins), Crowe.

WATERFORD UNITED: Connor; Leahy, Breen, Mulcahy, Frost; O'Brien, Clifford, Fitzgerald, Waters; Fenn, Murphy.

Referee: I. Stokes (Dublin).