Derry City will be bitterly disappointed having dropped two points, finishing 1-1 tonight at the Brandywell despite dominating Bohemians in the eircom Premier Division.
And there is no doubt that the understrength Dubliners will be delighted with the point; Derry laid siege to the Bohs goal throughout the second-half having fallen a goal in arrears.
For Derry, this result will feel like a defeat, the Candy Stripes having failed to keep the pressure on Shelbourne in the race for the Premier Division title.
It will be scant consolation that the Foyleside club maintained their unbeaten record at home.
The Candy Stripes got off to a lively start, forcing Bohemians back but the Dubliners broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute.
Mark Leitch sent Stephen Ward scampering clear on the left and his low cross into the danger area found the unmarked Kevin Hunt, who drove the ball low into the net from 16 yards.
Derry seemed to lack ideas in the final third but they did go close to equalising on the half hour when Kevin McHugh let fly from 20 yards, the striker's shot screaming narrowly wide of Stephen O'Brien's upright.
And on the stroke of half-time a Gareth McGlynn cross from the right was recklessly driven over the bar by McHugh when he may have been better advised to go for the header.
Eager to breach what had been a resolute Bohemians defence during the early stages of the second half, the Candy Stripes had their wish granted in the 54th minute.
Eddie McCallion cut the ball back when in the corner and, when McGlynn's cross sailed towards the back post, McHugh ghosted in to volley the ball high into the net.
Derry continued to exert sustained pressure on Bohemians but with Barry Ferguson and Jason McGuinness constantly winning the aerial duels, the home side's attempts to move into the driving seat floundered in the final third.
In the 71st minute the home side went close again, Darren Kelly's shot touched onto the crossbar and over by Bohs keeper, Stephen O'Brien.
And Derry spurned a glorious chance to win it in the 82nd minute when substitute, Gary Beckett, played McHugh in but the advancing O'Brien did well to parry the shot from close range.
With two minutes remaining Beckett had a chance to snatch the points but his header from a Stephen O'Flynn cross failing to find the target.
Derry City: Forde; McCallion (Higgins, 83 mins), Kelly, Oman, Holmes; McGlynn, Molloy, Deery, Brennan (Beckett, 77 mins); McHugh, Farren (O'Flynn, 80 mins).
Bohemians: O'Brien; O'Reilly, McGuinness, Ferguson, Powell; O'Keefe, Heary, Hunt, Ward; Leitch (Fitzgerald, 73 mins), Dunphy (Caffrey, 80 mins).
Referee: Mr H Whoriskey (Meath).
