Bohemians 0-0 Derry City

Derry City head to Yerevan next week knowing that it could be their last taste of European football for quite some time after tonight's scoreless draw with Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

Despite being on top for the whole game, John Robertson's men were unable to break the deadlock, just as they were unable to at the Brandywell last Wednesday against FC Pyunik.

And with the gap between themselves and Drogheda now 15 points, hopes of heading into the final part of the season in contention, even for a European place, are evaporating rapidly. It looks like the same could now said of Bohemians too as they have dropped another two points in pursuit of the leaders.

Kevin McHugh could well have had a hat-trick in the opening 20 minutes of the contest as he firstly hit the crossbar, then had Barry Murphy diving to his left to produce a brilliant save and finally flashed a shot just over with the Bohs keeper this time looking rooted to the spot.

But Sean Connor's men survived all of those scares and they did produce some attacking football of their own with the veteran Fergal Harkin at the head of affairs in the that regard.

His cross just before the half hour found Darren Mansaram, who was preferred to Neale Fenn on the night, only for the striker's header to fly wide of Pet Jennings' upright.

Harkin was again involved seven minutes before the break when he jinked around a couple of tackles outside the box and managed to find Mansaram again with a pass.  His shot was brilliantly blocked by Darren Kelly, however.

Derry kept up the pressure after the break and they really should have been ahead on 56 minutes when Ruaidhri Higgins' ball put Martyn in the clear. The midfielder saw Murphy advancing and he elected to cross which gave Owen Heary the chance to clear to ball away for a corner.

And in the final quarter there could have well been some players heading for an early shower and all 22 players were involved in an on-pitch melee. Damien Hancock held his cards in his pocket, though, and much like the handbags, the game petered out after that.

Bohemians: Murphy; O Heary, Burns, Pooley, Powell (Kelly, 46); Harkin, Rice, T Heary, Byrne; Mansaram (Fenn, 63), Crowe.

Derry: Jennings; McCallion, Kelly, Oman, Brennan; Higgins (McGlynn, 78), Martyn, Molloy, Deery; McHugh, Farren (Morrow, 73).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).