Waterford Utd 1 Bohemians 1:  Cup finalists Waterford United were within seconds of a morale- boosting victory at the RSC last night, but Bohemians caught them four minutes into injury-time to earn a draw that will not help their chances of catching leaders Shelbourne.

United had the visitors on the rack for the first quarter of an hour and, after Jose Quitongo (twice) and Vinnie Sullivan had gone close, Daryl Murphy opened the scoring on 16 minutes.

Kevin O'Brien played the ball down the right wing to Sullivan who crossed perfectly for Murphy. The under-21 international had his back to goal but he swivelled and shot in one movement for his 21st goal of the season, 13 of them in the league.

On 36 minutes, Glen Crowe went within a whisker of equalising for Bohemians, but his snap-shot from a Bobby Ryan free shaved the outside of the upright.

The last five minutes of the first half were frantic. O'Brien's powerful strike was well saved by Matt Greg, while a David Breen shot through a crowded goalmouth took a lucky deflection for Bohemians and came back off the post.

Then, at the other end, Tony Grant crossed from the right for Crowe and his curling effort was goal-bound until Wayne Fitzgerald stretched to deflect the ball out for a corner.

Bohemians were the dominant force in the second half and almost equalised seven minutes in. Crowe held off defender Pat Purcell, but his shot from 12 yards inspired man-of-the-match Pakie Holden to a full-length block.

In the dying stages, Ryan's piledriver was deflected out for a corner three minutes into time added on. But a minute later, the United defence was finally breached when Grant headed in a long throw from Gareth Farrelly.

WATERFORD UNITED: Holden; Carey, Mulcahy, Fitzgerald (Clifford, 73 min), Breen, Purcell, O'Brien, Quitongo, Murphy (Banville, 57 min), Sullivan, Waters.

BOHEMIANS: Gregg; Lynch, Webb, Morrison (Foley, 62 min), Crowe, Ryan, Oman, McNally, Grant, Rice (Keddy, 79 mins), Farrelly.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).