Bohemians have become competitive in their battles with Shelbourne, both on and off the park, yet it still remains possible that Duff will have the last laugh. It would have been a classic smash and grab if the league leaders had emerged from this short journey with full points, and they will regret allowing Bohs to nab a late leveller.
But it was fully deserved on the overall balance of play and, all things considered, this might still be remembered as a decent point for the visitors that moves them four clear of Derry City with seven games to go.
They remain firmly in control of their own destiny, and will face easier games than this one on the final stretch.
Bohs are clearly a team that is going in the right direction, even if their bottom line outcomes may suggest otherwise.
An Aviva Stadium rematch would not intimidate them.
At half-time here, it certainly looked as though a point would be a very acceptable return for Shels.
Bohs were the stronger side in the opening 45 minutes, albeit without a host of chances to reflect it. Sean Gannon’s goalline clearance to deny James Clarke was the big moment.
But there was no sense that this was a meeting between first and eighth, similar to the Tolka Park draw last month where the Gypsies belied their league position with a strong showing – although that encounter will probably always be associated with a pre-match ‘discussion’ between Reynolds and Duff in the latter’s office.
Sliding doors of a different kind.
When these sides last met at Dalymount in March, a comprehensive success for the away side confirmed Declan Devine’s departure.
The Shels goals on that night were scored by Will Jarvis and Gavin Molloy, who are now playing for Hull and Aberdeen respectively.
Dawson Devoy and Ross Tierney were in the UK at that juncture, and a summer that brought them in the opposite direction helps to explain why Bohs now look more than a match for their northside neighbours.
Turning performances into points has been a struggle under Alan Reynolds, though, with Shamrock Rovers the only team to taste defeat in Phibsborough since April.
So while there was satisfaction with a strong opening 45, there was also a degree of apprehension.
Shelbourne were always likely to resume with a greater sense of purpose. Yet the frustration for Bohs will be that the crucial moment of the game was as much about their error as Shelbourne’s execution.
A Shels set piece to the back post was misjudged by Bohs left full Jordan Flores, who took a wild swing with his less proficient right foot that sent the ball into the direction of Matty Smith who couldn’t believe his luck as he controlled and finished from close range. Flores could easily have allowed the ball to go out.
For Smith, it was an overdue goal, a first of the season and a reward for the endeavour that won the free kick in the first place. Devoy was a key figure in Bohs’ strong spells, but his late tackle proved costly.
With half an hour remaining, Shelbourne had a lead to protect, a situation they relish. Prior to this encounter, they’d collected full points in 14 of the 15 matches where they had scored first. Seeing out the victory has been the calling card of their title push. They had a strong patch after going ahead which briefly suggested they might add another to the list.
But Bohs kept knocking on the door, and would have felt aggrieved to depart this game with nothing. Tierney’s trickery and intelligence is a major weapon, a calm head when others would lose their composure.
With seven minutes remaining, he stepped away from Mark Coyle at the edge of a crowded box and unleashed a shot that took a vital deflection off John O’Sullivan to give Conor Kearns no chance, a Bohs goal that will have been welcomed on the Bogside. Shels felt a foul went unnoticed in the build-up.
They couldn’t find another and, when the dust settles, Shels may still reflect on this as a point gained. Derry will need more favours to deny Duff his moment.
Bohemians: Chorazka, Smith, Byrne, Kavanagh, Flores (Kirk 66); Devoy; Rooney, Tierney, McDonnell (Meekison 54), Grant (McDaid 85); Clarke (Akintunde 66)
Shelbourne: Kearns, Gannon, Barrett, Griffin, Wilson (Ledwidge 85); Caffrey, Coyle, Wood (O’Sullivan 68); Coote (Martin 75), O’Brien (Boyd 75), Smith (Burt 68)
Referee: Neil Doyle
