Having taken four points from their opening two matches the UCD management team could have been forgiven for travelling to Dalymount Park last night with a growing sense of confidence that the many pundits who have predicted the side's demise this year would look foolish come the end of the season.
Last night, though, the champions gave the students, who so narrowly avoided the drop last year, a harsh lesson in how tough they will find it to survive over the coming months.
Sadly for Martin Moran and Paul Doolin, the six goals that separated the two sides at the final whistle could hardly be said to have flattered an utterly dominant Bohemians side.
Glen Crowe contributed to remind Mick McCarthy that Clinton Morrison isn't the only one who can bang in the early season goals, but in reality he was only one of many players whose superiority told from beginning to end.
By half-time it was over, Bohemians simply overwhelming their visitors during an opening half-hour period in which they scored two wonderful goals and then adding a third moments before the break after they had appeared to eased up on their opponents.
The students had already had a couple of close escapes before Mark Rutherford opened the scoring in the 28th minute.
Twice, early on, Barry Ryan had got down well to make saves that kept the scored level but such was the persistence of the pressure that his defenders found themselves under, that it always seemed inevitable that the champions would get the goal they sought.
When it came, though, it was almost out of nothing with Rutherford taking a couple of touches after picking the ball up out on the left and then unleashing a spectacular strike that flew across Ryan's goal before crashing into the top right corner by way of the woodwork.
On virtually their next visit to Ryan's box, the hosts made it two, with Harkin producing a memorable overhead finish after the students had allowed a Dave Morrison free to bobble about on the edge of their six-yard box for a little too long.
Crowe put paid to any UCD hopes of recovery seconds before the turnaround when he capitalised on the little bit of good fortune that guided Morrison's cross to his feet no more than eight yards from goal.
Calmly he slotted the ball past Ryan and five minutes later he would have had his second of the night but for a poor finish from only slightly further out.
Ryan, though he did well enough to save at all, could nevertheless do no more than turn the ball into Trevor Molloy's path and the second Bohemians striker took his time before tapping the ball home through the recovering goalkeeper's legs.
Bohemians drove home their superiority with Morrison sending a 25-yard left-footed shot soaring past Ryan for number five with 18 minutes remaining.
Even then it wasn't over for, with five to go, Avery John played a beautiful through ball for Crowe who slipped number six past the embattled Ryan.
BOHEMIANS: Dempsey; Shelley, O'Connor (Caffrrey, 70 mins), John, Webb (Hill, 75 mins); Morrison, Harkin, Hunt, Rutherford; Crowe, Molloy (O'Neill, 78 mins).
UCD: Ryan; Mahon, Purdy, McAuley, Ryan; J Martin, Martyn, O'Dowd (McNally, 81 mins), O'Donnell (Doolin, half-time); Swan, R Martin ( O'Connor, 63 mins).
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
