Four goals from centre forward Graham Lawlor ensured that Bohemians have a huge advantage after the first leg of the relegation/ promotion play-off at St Colman's Park last night.

Lawlor, filling in for the Derek Swan, started by punishing a hapless Cobh with his first goal after just 42 seconds. Brian Mooney had scored Bohemians' second goal before Cobh's position was rendered hopeless by the dismissal of their goalkeeper, Ian Bennis, after 25 minutes. Bennis clashed with Ray Kelly and, after the referee had blown his whistle to give the goalkeeper a free kick, there was a further clash in which Bennis appeared to throw a punch and which he was subsequently dismissed for.

After 38 minutes Lawlor scored Bohemians' third goal, before adding goals in the 51st minute and 84th minute to ensure that Saturday's second leg at Dalymount Park would be of academic interest only.

Cobh Ramblers: Bennis, Kelly, Maher, Murphy, Byrne, Francis, Kenneally, Dalton, Keane, Izzi, Coughlan. Subs: Cregoe for Kenneally (55 mins), Clifford for Izzi (83 mins).

Bohemians: Dempsey, O'Connor, Maher, Mullen, Brunton, Mooney, Hunt, O'Hanlon, P Byrne, Lawlor, Kelly. Subs: Doyle and T Byrne for Mooney and O'Hanlon (85 mins), Coombs for Kelly (86 mins).

Referee: H Byrne (Dublin).

St Benildus College are completing their preparations for the 16th biannual World Schools' Tournament which begins in Sardinia next week.

The Dublin school earned the right to represent Ireland by winning the All-Ireland Under-16 championship last year, and will play their opening game against South Africa on Friday week. The competition will be made up of four groups of six teams.

The Irish representatives will also meet teams from Sweden, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

St Benildus Squad: G Brophy, M Coughlan, G Fitzpatrick, B Flynn, A Presch, S Holmes, J Kennedy, D McCarrick, R Miley, D Mills, A Mooney, S Mowlds, W Sullivan, D Patterson, S Redmond, B Renwick, R Renwick, P Saunders, A Sharkey, D White. Manager: Oisin MacEoin.