Patching makes his point with spot-kick

WILL PATCHING’s first-half penalty earned Derry City a precious point against Bohemians at Brandywell. It was the midfielder’s seventh goal of the season as he tucked away a controversial spot-kick after Ciaran Kelly was adjudged to have brought down Patrick McEleney. Promise Omochere had put Bohs ahead following a quick counter on 15 minutes. However, Patching’s penalty 20 minutes later was enough to clinch a point as Shamrock Rovers cut Derry’s lead at the summit to a single point. Bohemians stunned their hosts from a quick counter after a quarter of an hour as Liam Burt broke at pace and, with the Derry defence outnumbered, he picked out the unmarked Omochere with a lovely disguised pass. The Bohs striker took a touch just inside the 18-yard box before firing past Brian Maher into the bottom corner of the net. Derry won a penalty on 34 minutes when Conor Levingston barged McEleney with his shoulder and, when the midfielder went to ground, referee Adriano Reale pointed to the spot. Up stepped Patching, who tucked the ball into the bottom corner, sending goalkeeper James Talbot the wrong way. DERRY CITY: Maher: McEleney, Toal, McJannet (Thomson 80); Boyce, Dummigan, Patching, McEleney; Smith (Akintunde 64), McGonigle, Kavanagh (McLaughlin 87). Scorers: Patching (35 pen). BOHEMIANS: Talbot; Packham (Murphy 64), Doherty, Kelly, Wilson; Coote (Finnerty 90), Ogedi-Uzokwe, Devoy, Burt (Twardek 74), Levingston, Omochere. Scorers: Omochere (15). Referee: Adriano Reale.