Derry City 0 Bohemians 0:Derry City's chances of challenging for the league continue to slip away following this scoreless draw at the Brandywell.

But team boss Pat Fenlon will opt to take the positives from this encounter as his side produced a much-improved display.

The home side went close to breaking the deadlock during the first minute of the game. Ruaidhri Higgins delivered a free into the danger area but Darren Kelly's powerful far-post header crashed off the woodwork.

Bohemians' cause certainly wasn't helped when Sean Connor was forced to use two substitutes by the 37th minute. Harpal Singh departed after 20 minutes with a shoulder injury, while central defender Dean Pooley was stretchered off with an ankle injury in the 37th minute.

Derry went close again in the 48th minute. A McGlynn cross from the right fell into the path of Killian Brennan but his angled shot was blocked on the line by Jason McGuinness before rebounding into a grateful Brian Murphy's hands.

Kevin McHugh's introduction appeared to spark life in Derry in the 70th minute and the striker had two chances in as many minutes.

With his first touch he lobbed he ball over the bar following another McGlynn cross and a minute later McHugh directed an effort straight at Murphy when he should have done better.

But Derry goalkeeper Pat Jennings kept his side in the game in the 82nd minute when he pulled off a spectacular stop, diverting Neale Fenn's shot on the turn over the crossbar.

In the 90th minute Bohemians were reduced to 10 men when striker Darren Mansaram was shown a straight red card by referee Dave McKeon following a two-footed lunge on Brennan.

DERRY CITY: Jennings; Hutton, Oman, Kelly, Rogers; McGlynn, Higgins, Molloy (McCafferty, 86 mins), Brennan (Hynes, 90 mins); McCourt, Farren (McHugh 70 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Heary, McGuinnes, Pooley (Burns 37 mins), Powell; Kingsberry, Rice, Hunt (Kelly 68 mins), Singh (Fenn 30 mins); Crowe, Mansaram.

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).