Ronan Boyce bags late leveller for Derry City against Bohemians
Daniel Lafferty of Derry City in action against Ali Coote of Bohemians during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Derry City and Bohemians at Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in Derry. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Ronan Boyce kept Derry City's challenge for a place in Europe next season on track when the full-back drove home his side's equaliser against Bohemians in another thrilling finish at the Brandywell.
The Dalymount Park side left Foyleside disappointed on Wednesday night when their Under-19 squad lost out in the final of the Enda McGuill Trophy and on Friday night, with three points almost assured, Derry struck in the 94th minute to stun Keith Long's charges.
In truth, the Candystripes were fortunate and with Sligo defeating Drogheda, this share of the spoils keeps the European race alive, the Bit O' Red to visit the North West venue in Derry's final home game.
Despite a blank scoreline at the break, the attendance of 3,200 were treated to an entertaining free-flowing game with both sides anxious to play on the front foot.
And with both sides creating clear-cut opportunities, there was very little between the sides during the opening half.
Derry settled quickly with striker Jamie McGonigle dispatching two tame efforts during the opening 15 minutes, Bohs keeper James Talbot gathering the ball with ease on each occasion.
Always keen to strike on the counter-attack, the Dubliners forced Derry keeper Nathan Gartside into two vital saves within the space of as many minutes.
The lively Liam Burt got the better of Derry's Ronan Boyce but he was denied by the alert Gartside in the 24th minute.
Gartside was back in action again when he got down low to block a shot from Tyreke Wilson who had worked his way forward from midfield.
The Bohs keeper was not to be outdone and he pulled off a brace of top drawer stops before the end of the opening period.
In the 42nd minute, Talbot dived a full stretch to parry Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe's powerful shot wide of his goal, a superb save.
Within a minute James Akintunde rose well at the back post to meet a McGonigle cross before the Bohs keeper climbed high to palm the ball clear.
After the break, Bohs continued to press and while Burt drove a shot into the hands of Gartside, the visitors broke the deadlock in their next attack in the 50th minute.
Striker Promise Omochere, who had played in his side's Under-19 defeat at this venue on Wednesday night, weaved his way forward past two Derry defenders before squeezing a low drive into the corner of the net giving Gartside no chance.
That goal served to silence the Brandywell faithful as the home lot regrouped with Danny Lafferty failing to hit the target in the 55th minute.
Bohs could have ended the game as a contest in the 75th minute following a fumble by Gartside as the keeper attempted to clear the ball on the 18-yard line. Ross Tierney gained possession of the ball but his shot was blocked on the line by centre-back Eoin Toal.
Derry refused to throw in the towel and they brought the attendance back to life when a long throw-in by Will Fitzgerald was flicked on by Toal for Akintunde to crash a shot off the crossbar in the preamble to Boyce's late leveller.
Gartside; Boyce, Toal, McJannet, Coll |(McLaughlin, 80); Thomson, Harkin (Ferry, 85); Akintunde, Junior, Lafferty (Fitzgerald, 67); McGonigle.
Talbot; Lyons, Feely, Kelly, Breslin; Devoy, Wilson; Coote, Tierney, Burt (Finnerty, 81); Omochere (Levingston 90).
D. MacGraith (Mayo).
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