Bohemians 0-0 Shamrock Rovers

Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers played out a 0-0 draw in a cracking Dublin derby at Dalymount Park that looked from the start like it had goals written all over it.

The second half had a lower tempo but Bohs could have snatched it on 87 minutes when Jason Byrne met Paul Keegan's free-kick but put the ball wide, and again in time added on but the well placed Gary Deegan's shot also missed the target.

Following Bohs' defeat to Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, the Rovers fans held up a banner reading 'Red Bull clipped your wings'. However, Bohs were flying from the start in this encounter. They passed the ball around well, using the vast space available at Dalymount, and generally dominated the early play.

Despite that, the first decent chance fell to Rovers on 12 minutes. Stephen Rice met a free-kick from the wing and directed a cracking header towards goal only for Brian Murphy to make a fantastic acrobatic save.

Anto Murphy then had a low drive on target for Bohs on 16 minutes but there wasn't enough in it to trouble Barry Murphy in the Rovers goal. Murphy had a tougher task to deal with on 26 minutes when he faced a Byrne free-kick but did well to turn the powerful strike around the post.

Brian Murphy then made a good save from Ollie Cahill on 29 minutes after the Rovers man broke free following a mistake by Mark Rossiter. Soon after, Barry Murphy denied Paddy Madden at the other end following a super solo run by Conor Powell, with Madden then sending his rebound across the face of goal.

Rovers striker Gary Twigg had a quiet first half but got stuck in more in the second period. He should have done better on the hour mark but missed the target with his shot when well placed.

On 62 minutes, he collected a Cahill pass and whipped in a creative ball to Dessie Baker, but Murphy again reacted well to make the vital interception.

Bohs boss Pat Fenlon made a double change with just under 20 minutes to go, introducing Glen Crowe and Killian Brennan for Anto Murphy and Madden. The change gave the hosts an added sense of urgency as they rediscovered the attacking form of the opening minutes.

Rovers manager Michael O'Neill also made changes to his side but the addition of fresh legs on both sides didn't change things dramatically, and it was Bohs who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the closing minutes.

Bohemians: Brian Murphy, Rossiter (Cronin 85), Powell, Deegan, Shelley, Oman, A Murphy (Brennan 73), Ndo, Madden (Crowe 73), Byrne, Keegan.

Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy, Treacy, Flynn, Price, Sives, Cahill, Rice (McGill 83), Robinson, Purcell, Twigg, Baker (Bradley 83).