Late Seán Boyd goal sees Shelbourne draw with Derry City to retain lead at top of Premier Division

The striker scored from close range just when it looked like Paul McMullan’s first goal for Derry City had taken the Candystripes to the top for the first time since the first few weeks of the season.

McMullan almost gave Derry City the lead with a spectacular effort in the first half. A City corner was headed clear, but only to McMullan 20 yards from goal, who volleyed the ball first time, only to be denied by the outside of the post.

The hosts were by far the most adventurous of the two teams, but another big chance came and went just past the half hour mark when Ben Doherty’s cross into a packed penalty area found Pat Hoban, but the striker somehow glanced a header wide from just six yards out when he looked certain to score.

McMullan struck just ten minutes into the second half when Gavin Molloy misplaced a pass to JJ Lunney, but instead found the Derry man, who swept the ball into the net with Kearns out of position to make it 1-0.

It was so nearly 2-0 on 71 minutes when Patching found space 25 yards from goal and picked out the run of O’Reilly, who went one on one with Kearns, but couldn’t beat the Shels goalkeeper, who parried the ball into the air before Hoban headed the rebound under pressure.

But Shels struck in the final minute to stay top of the table when Will Jarvis’ low cross saw Boyd get in front of Cameron McJannet to turn the ball into the net from close range.

Derry City: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce, Mark Connolly, Cameron McJannet, Ciaran Coll; Adam O’Reilly, Will Patching (Danny Mullen 93’), Paul McMullan; Daniel Kelly (Sadou Diallo 81’), Pat Hoban, Ben Doherty.

Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, Sean Gannon (Shane Farrell 79’), Paddy Barrett, Gavin Molly, Kameron Ledwidge (Tyreke Wilson 68’), Jonathan Lunney; Mark Coyle (Dean Williams 85’), Liam Burt; Will Jarvis, John Martin (Matty Smith 45’), John O’Sullivan (Sean Boyd 68’).