Derry prove a point to champions

Bohemians 1 Derry City 1:UNLIKE LAST November's FAI Cup final, there were no penalties to separate the sides as Derry laid down their credentials as perhaps double winners Bohemians' main title challengers by taking a point from Dalymount Park last night.

Bohemians set the tone from the sixth minute when Neale Fenn laid off Mark Rossiter’s throw and Joseph Ndo unleashed a drive from 16 yards that the well-positioned Ger Doherty parried away.

Within two minutes Derry took the lead. Gareth McGlynn found spaced down the right to pick out Thomas Stewart. The striker was allowed run across the edge of the Bohemians box before planting a low shot past Brian Murphy.

Bohemians had what looked a clear-cut penalty waved away by referee Ian Stokes when Derry captain Peter Hutton appeared to handle a shot from Gary Deegan. However, Bohemians levelled on 14 minutes. Barry Molloy fouled Killian Brennan some 25 yards out and the winger curled the free-kick over the wall to the net.

Fenn had a goal-bound drive blocked away as Bohemians maintained the initiative, before an injury to left-back Rossiter necessitated a change on 28 minutes. Ken Oman came on and skipper Owen Heary, who’d started at centre half, moved to left-back. Derry were almost caught out on 58 minutes as Glen Crowe got in behind Hutton from Murphy’s kick out and his lob was just over the bar.

But Bohemians had some defending to do at the other end when Barry Molloy’s through-ball found Stewart and Murphy had to be off his line quickly to deflect the shot out for a corner. Crowe almost unhinged Derry again minutes later but Doherty parried away the shot.

With Ndo and Gary Deegan driving them on, Bohemians upped the tempo going into the last quarter. Central defender Jason McGuinness headed wide before his volley was held by Doherty. Hutton then redeemed his earlier mishaps when taking the ball off Crowe’s toe five minutes from time as Derry held out for a point.

BOHEMIANS: B Murphy; A Murphy, Heary, McGuinness, Rossiter (Oman, 28 mins); Ndo, Deegan, Keegan, Brennan (Carey, 66 mins); Crowe, Fenn (J Byrne, 83 mins).

DERRY CITY: Doherty; O’Brien, Hutton, McChrystal, Gray; McGlynn, Higgins (Martyn, 78 mins), Molloy, Kearney (McLean, 86 mins); Farren (McCallion, 90 mins), Stewart.

Referee: Ian Stokes (Dublin).