Derry City 0-1 Bohemians
Declan Devine's return to his hometown was a happy one last night, as Bohemians opened up a six-point gap at the top of the Premier Division.
Dean Williams’ second-half penalty was enough to see off second placed Derry City, who now find themselves leading a crowded field of chasers.
What a way for Devine’s Bohs to bounce back from last Friday’s Dublin derby defeat to Shamrock Rovers.
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On a weekend when their status as table-toppers was challenged more than at any other time this term, they showed serious mettle to take all three points.
The Gypsies faced a great deal of pressure late on, with six minutes added on, but held out thanks to a combination of excellent goalkeeping and resilient defending.
For Derry, their home form is now a serious point of concern - and it risks scuppering their title challenge.
Their record now is six wins in their last 19 games at the Ryan McBride Brandywell.
They clearly don’t enjoy playing on the artificial surface. Once again, there were regular calls from the stand to move the ball with greater urgency.
But despite the heavy showers that fell before and during last night’s game, they struggled to inject any pace into their performance.
Yesterday’s game went ahead under the shadow of heightened tensions in the city.
In the Creggan estate, behind the City Cemetery that overlooks the Brandywell, trouble flared at a dissident republican march yesterday afternoon.
Rumours began to circulate online that the match might be in doubt, as reports came in of petrol bombs being thrown at a PSNI vehicle.
While the FAI were keeping an eye on developments, there was never a time yesterday when the game was at risk of being called off.
Yet there was a reminder ahead of kick-off of the earlier disturbances, as a police helicopter circled overhead.
As the players took part in their warm-ups, some craned their necks as the chopper did its rounds, before disappearing shortly after the game began.
It might be pushing it to suggest that the pilot was expressing a view on the quality of the action below by hightailing it away from the Brandywell.
But there wasn’t a whole lot in this one to entice a neutral to stay.
Both sides were badly missing a cutting edge in the final third and chances were at a premium.
The few that were created came to nothing, as was the case when Jamie McGonigle failed to find the target twice in quick succession early on.
He shot across goal and wide on six minutes when Will Patching found him at the near post with a low cross, and found his route to goal blocked a minute later.
Ollie O’Neill did his best to fire up the Derry attack with a few clever bursts into the area from the left flank.
And Shane McEleney failed to find the target from eight yards when he was found unmarked from a corner. He held his head in his hands as his header sailed wide of the far post.
McEleney was far more effective at the other end, where he produced a pair of blocks to deny Dylan Connolly and Keith Buckley, after an uncharacteristically loose Adam O’Reilly pass was intercepted.
A couple of half-chances either side of half-time fell to O’Neill and Patrick McEleney, but neither troubled Bohs goalkeeper James Talbot.
Hardly surprising, then, that the opening goal came from the penalty spot - and from a controversial one at that.
Kris Twardek combined with Andrew Baker, burst into the area but was knocked off the ball by O’Neill, who was about to clear when referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot.
It was a harsh call on the Ireland Under-21 man, but Doyle wasn’t for turning, despite Derry’s protests.
Williams stepped up and placed the ball low to his right, with just enough pace to get across the line, despite goalkeeper Brian Maher getting a hand to the ball.
The young striker’s celebrations mirrored those of Jack Byrne and Rory Gaffney during last Friday’s Dublin derby, when Bohs were on the receiving end.
Derry pressed for an equaliser, but found the visiting defence impossible to unlock.
Substitute Brandon Kavanagh came closest with a near-post drive in the 89th minute that was well-saved by James Talbot.
Talbot was excellent in dealing with balls into the box, and he made another fine stop in injury-time to block Jordan McEneff’s close-range effort.
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