Bohemians come from behind to take share of the spoils with Derry City

EQUALISER: Bohemian's Ross Tierney scored the equaliser for his side. Pic:©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Derry City 1 (Akinyemi 45+5’) Bohemians 1 (Tierney 52’)

SHAMROCK Rovers emerged the biggest winners at Brandywell as Bohemians came from behind to clinch a share of the spoils against Derry City.

Former York City striker Dipo Akinyemi put Derry ahead on his Brandywell debut with a header from Michael Duffy's cross five minutes into first half stoppage time.

That lead didn't last long as Ross Tierney blasted home from James Clarke's cross on 52 minutes to rescue a point for the second placed Dubliners.

Both teams have now played the same amount of games as Rovers who finished the night seven points clear of the Gypsies and eight clear of Derry who meet them in Tallaght in their next outing.

There were reports of clashes between both sets of supporters outside the ground in ugly scenes which marred a match between two teams hoping to ignite a title race.

It was the Brandywell pitch which ignited when a flare was thrown over the Southend Park stand during the first half which scorched the artificial surface and caused a lengthy delay in play.

Bohs were enjoying plenty of possession in the early stages but Derry almost capitalised on a quick counter attack on 12 minutes with a move started and finished by Akinyemi.

The Londoner found the run of Duffy with a clever ball over the top and when the ex-Celtic winger cut it back to Liam Boyce the striker fluffed his lines. The ball broke out to the edge of the box where Akinyemi. The striker tried his luck again from distance two minutes later but Chorazka saved comfortably.

Akiyemi was in the thick of the action once again when he found Duffy in space with a neat flick but the Derry winger dragged his first time strike on his right foot narrowly wide of the post.

There was a five minute delay when a flare was thrown over the Southend Park stand onto the pitch and set fire to the artificial surface on the half hour mark. The stewards were slow to react much to the annoyance of the players but eventually the flame was extinguished and play got back underway.

Bohs carved out a great chance in stoppage time when Ross Tierney's delicate touch from Mounteny's cross set up James Clarke but his strike from 12 yards was saved by Maher.

Derry broke when Liam Boyce played a ball over the top for Akinyemi to run onto andthe striker got in behind the last man but his strike was saved brilliantly by the outstretched leg of Chorazka.

The Polish keeper couldn't do anything about Akinyemi's next effort on goal as the Englishman towered above his marker and headed Duffy's cross into the corner of the net for a timely breakthrough.

Diallo tried his luck from just inside the penalty box with the last action of the half but drilled his effort wide of the post.

Bohs were back on level terms just seven minutes into the second half as Tierney got onto the end of James Clarke's cross from the right and volleyed past the helpless Maher.

Duffy's curling free-kick from 25 yards was gathered comfortably by Chorazka and substitute Adam O'Reilly fired a blistering effort over the bar as Derry tried to get back on top.

Robbie Benson came agonisingly close to finding the corner of the net in front of a packed North Stand with a glancing header from Duffy's inswinging cross with 10 minutes to go.

The second half subs were making an impact and Danny Mullen raced onto a ball over the top of the Bogs defence but his effort on the half volley was beaten away by Chorazka at the near post.

From the resultant corner kick Alex Bannon rose at the back post but again Chorazka parried it clear and it was as close as Derry came to finding a winner as the teams shared the spoils.

Derry City: Maher 6: Connolly 7, Bannon 7, Todd 7; R. Boyce 6 (Benson 6, 69), Diallo 7 (Frizzell 6, 90), Winchester 7, Fleming 7; Duffy 7, L. Boyce 7 (Mullen 6, 69) Akinyemi 7 (O'Reilly 7, 57) 

Bohemians: Chorazka 8; Mountney 6 (Smith 6, 67), Byrne 7, Kavanagh 6, Flores 6; Morahan 6, Devoy 7. McDonnell 6 (Parsons 6, 74), Tierney 8; Clarke 7 (Whelan 6, 74), Rooney 7.

Referee: Damien MacGraith.