MICHAEL Duffy’s double kept Derry City’s twin-track charge for silverware on track at Dalymount Park.
Duffy curled a stunning first-half free-kick into the top corner to give the Candystripes the lead after he had been fouled by Paddy Kirk.
2
2
And, then, in the second half he cut inside between Dawson Devoy and Ross Tierney with Kacper Chorazka beaten for a second time when his shot bounced just in front of him.
That was enough to ensure they advance to the FAI Cup final on November 10 for which they will be overwhelming favourites against either Drogheda United or Wexford.
With league leaders Shelbourne just four points ahead of them, with a game more played, it could yet end up being their most successful season since their history-making treble in 1989.
And, while Duff will grab the headlines, Derry’s central defensive pairing of Andre Wisdom and Mark Connolly stood tall, with both happy to accept booking in the closing stages as they kept Bohs at bay.
The loss saw some fans chanting for the head of Alan Reynolds with work to be done to secure their top-flight status.
They had started well, causing Derry problems when their full-backs Jordan Flores and Liam Smith stepped into midfield to cause overloads.
But the absence of an out-and-out goalscorer has been an ongoing problem after the loss of Georgie Kelly, Promise Omochere and Jonathan Afolabi in the space of two years.
Alex Greive was a willing worker upfront but he had his work cut out to get much change out of the imposing Wisdom.
There were a couple of early half-chances for Bohs with a Danny Grant shot floating off-target from Devoy’s pass.
Dayle Rooney’s first-time effort on the opposite site after Tierney rolled it back to him carried a lot more venom but it was no more accurate.
And Derry signalled that they would carry a threat on the counter-attack with two pull-backs from Duffy from the byline.
First, Pat Hoban scuffed a shot which was easily taken by Chorazka and, from the second, Patrick McEleney went down following contact from Tierney.
Having been awarded a hugely controversial penalty against Shamrock Rovers two weeks ago, this time his appeals were waved away.
And referee Paul McLaughlin was similarly unmoved when Tierney was body-checked by Wisdom just outside the box with Derry taking advantage by breaking immediately but Paul McMullan could not quite play in Duffy.
But he then linked up well with McEleney with good feet from Hoban allowing him to tee up Adam O’Reilly who was narrowly off-target.
And, when Connolly headed a goal-kick up the pitch, Duffy latched onto it, cut inside and fired slightly over.
Bohs were getting in similar positions through good interplay but lacked a killer instinct with Grant’s header from Rooney’s cross which went straight into Brian Maher’s arms summing up their issue.
And they were not helped at the other end when Smith was forced off with what looked like a calf strain in the 37th minute.
Within three minutes of coming on to replace him at right-back, Kirk – normally a left-back – had conceded a free-kick from which Duffy scored.
Hoban blocked Jevon Mills’ attempted clearance with the ball running to Duffy with Kirk penalised for having his arms around him.
SCREAMER
With most expecting the winger to deliver the ball into the box for a header, he instead curled a shot into the top corner.
When he and some of his team-mates celebrated in front of Bohs fans, they were met with a shower of missiles.
Adam McDonnell had a chance to draw the home side level before the break but could not get a proper connection on Devoy’s cross and the visitors should have doubled their advantage within six minutes of the restart.
McEleney’s first-time ball sent McMullan clear but he dragged his shot wide of the far post with only Chorazka to beat.
But Duffy – in front of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson – was ruthless and almost claimed a hat-trick in injury time but was denied by Chorazka.
SUN STAR MAN: Michael Duffy (Derry City)
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka 6; Smith 6 (Kirk 37, 5), Byrne 7, Mills 6 (Miller 60, 5), Flores 6; Devoy 7, McDonnell 6 (Meekison 75, 5); Rooney 7 (Piszczek 75, 5), Tierney 7, Grant 6; Greive 5 (Clarke 60, 5)
DERRY CITY: Maher 7; Boyce 6, Connolly 8, Wisdom 8, Doherty 6; O’Reilly 6, Diallo 7 (S McEleney 90, 2); McMullan 7 (Whelan 90, 2), P McEleney 7 (Davenport 78, 5), Duffy 8; Hoban 6 (Mullen 85, 4).
REFEREE: P McLaughlin (Monaghan) 6
