ST PATRRICK'S ATHLETIC set up a derby to look forward next Sunday as they leapfrogged Shamrock Rovers to go top of the Airtricity League Premier Division table for the first time this term.

The Saints will go to Tallaght in first place and in superb form after their 14th match unbeaten against a dogged Bray side.

This game came down to the 55th minute turning point, when Danny North and Brian Shortall had efforts cleared off the line and assistant referee Marc Douglas adjudged that one of their efforts was handled by Adam Mitchell.

Referee Neil Doyle dismissed the centre half, before North firmly dispatched the penalty to send the home faithful into raptures.

Up until that moment there had been little to report as both sides struggled in the difficult conditions on a wet Richmond Park pitch.

Daryl Kavanagh was lively for the hosts, while Bray struggled in the absence of their influential skipper Gary Dempsey.

Their best chance before the goal came when Dane Massey headed Joe Kendrick’s corner wide, but as soon as they went down to 10 men they struggled to cope.

North could have doubled his side’s lead in the moments after the penalty, but he fired wide before Anto Murphy fired over from Stephen Bradley’s pass.

Derek Doyle had a header tipped over by Matt Gregg, before Paul Crowley fired just wide from Bradley’s corner.

David McMillan almost scored off the bench after quick thinking from Shane McFaul sent Murphy down the right and he threaded the ball through for the ex-UCD man who couldn’t find a way past Gregg.

The Saints looked in full control, until Pat Devlin introduced Dan McGuinness, Shane O’Neill and Sean Houston off the bench and the Seagulls went for an equaliser.

Danny O’Connor had a curling effort go just wide, before Conor Murphy’s header was brilliantly saved by Gary Rogers and O’Connor’s follow up was blocked by Derek Pender.

In the dramatic late moments, Kavanagh went close before Devlin was sent to the stands as Pat’s held on.

ST PATRICK’S ATH: Rogers; Pender, E McMillan, Shortall, Bermingham; Murphy (Stewart 93), Bradley (McFaul 78), Crowley, Doyle; Kavanagh, North (D McMillan 73).

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; S O’Connor, Mitchell, Prendergast, Kendrick (Houston 84); Mulroy (O’Neill 84), Doyle (McGuinness 84), Shields, D O’Connor, Massey; Murphy.

REFEREE: N Doyle (Dublin)