Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley described referee Damien MacGraith as "the worst in the league" after a controversial penalty decision cost his team three valuable points at the Brandywell.
The Hoops looked set to leave with a crucial away win on the same night leaders Shelbourne lost ground in Galway, but Pat Hoban's injury-time penalty moves the Candystripes within three points of the summit with half a dozen matches remaining in the league.
Rovers are now a further four points adrift in third.
The contentious moment came with the clock deep in the red when Patrick McEleney was adjudged by Mayo official MacGraith to have been clipped inside the box by Josh Honohan.
Derry City 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
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The hosts equalise as Patrick Hoban converts a highly contentious penalty
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Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the match, Bradley was fuming with the awarding of the spot-kick.
"I think it's disgraceful. A really, really disgraceful decision from the referee," he said.
"It’s awful. He’s so poor and tonight he has just shown it again. I’ve seen it back, he (Honohan) hasn’t touched him. He literally hasn’t touched him.
"The key is, all the Derry players are coming off and telling you there was no contact, he dived. Patrick himself is telling you there is no contact.
"In a game like that, you have to be 100% sure. There is no way you can be sure there."
Derry City 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
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"It's a really disgraceful decision from the referee. He's so poor. He literally hasn't touched him." - Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley was appalled by the late penalty call against his side
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Derry had an earlier call for a penalty waved away when Daniel Mullen's left-wing cross seemed to be blocked Lee Grace's trailing arm as the centre-back slid back to an attempt to block the delivery.
City manager Ruaidhri Higgins felt that particular "stone-wall" decision went against his team and that on the balance of play, things levelled themselves out over the course of the match.
"Whether it was a penalty (injury-time decision) or it wasn’t, he’s given it," he said. "There should have been one before that. We deserved to get a penalty."
Derry City 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
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Candystripes manager Ruaidhri Higgins felt the penalty decisions evened themselves out over the course of the game as his side secured a big point late on
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Bradley refuted the suggestion that his side had been fortunate to get away with the earlier penalty call.
"His (Lee Grace) hand was on the ground, it’s a natural decision," he said. "It’s no penalty. You can’t try and level it up and give something like that, in a game like this, in the last few minutes.
"He’s (MacGraith) the worst in the league and that tonight is awful."
