Derry City fought back for a point to move within three points of Shelbourne, but it was yet another opportunity missed for Ruaidhri Higgins’ team in the League of Ireland Premier Division title race.

Pat Hoban’s second-half header cancelled out Archie Meekinson’s first-half goal, but there was to be no late winner to give the Candystripes the advantage in the title run-in.

A brilliant goal line clearance denied Derry in the first-half as Bohs survived by the thinnest of margins early on.

Hoban played Michael Duffy in to the byline, and his pull-back looked like a tap in for Paul McMullan, who took a second to adjust his feet before getting his shot away, only to be denied by Jordan Flores on the line.

Yet it was Bohs who struck first on 20 minutes, when a simple low cross from Rooney was allowed to go right across the face of the penalty area, all the way to the back post where Meekinson side-footed in to make it 1-0.

The goal the Brandywell fans pleaded for came just past the hour mark and it was as simple as it was crucial, with Hoban powering home a brilliant header from Duffy’s corner to make it 1-1.

One goal was not good enough, however, and the home side poured forward in search of a winner.

It should have come on 76 minutes when Duffy set Danny Mullen away down the left and his pinpoint cross looked a certain goal for McMullan coming in at the back post, but the winger smashed the ball against the post with the goal gaping.

Derry City: Maher, Boyce, Connolly, Wisdom, Doherty (Mullen 57’) Diallo, O’Reilly, Patching (Coll 68’); Duffy, Hoban, McMullan (Robertson 87’).

Bohemians: Chorazka, Kirk, Mills, Byrne, Flores (Carroll 75’) McDonnell (McManus 85’), Devoy; Meekison (Grant 70’), Tierney, Rooney; Clarke (Piszczek 75’).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).