Bohemians ... 2 Derry City ... 2: League champions Bohemians had to settle for a draw yesterday against a side who threatened to spoil their end-of-season party.

Dalymount was in carnival mood as Bohemians took the pitch, but it was the Derry fans who made the most noise at a match they needed to win to avoid a relegation play-off.

Bobby Ryanprovided the home side's first meaningful effort when, after good work from Gary O'Neill and Paul Keegan, he fired just wide from 20 yards.

Minutes later Derry's Liam Coyle missed from four yards after a Sean Friars cross had split the Bohemians defence.

The home side took the lead on 32 minutes. As Derry failed to deal with a Dave Morrison corner, John McDermott was deemed to have handled and Simon Webb scored from the spot.

Derryequalised 13 minutes into the second half, Sean Friars brilliantly getting his head on the end of a Sean Hargan cross, and took the lead three minutes later when Gary Beckett finished with aplomb.

Bohemians dominated the last quarter, however, and Bobby Ryan equalised from Jason McGuinness's pinpoint cross.

At the final whistle, the loudest cheer was from the visiting fans as they heard Drogheda had been held, meaning Derry had avoided the play-offs.

Thousands of Bohemians fans stayed in the ground to see their team presented with the eircom League trophy.

BOHEMIANS: Bayes, Lynch, Webb, Hunt, McGuinness, Hawkins, Ryan, Caffrey, Keegan, O'Neill, Morrison.

DERRY CITY: Gough, E McCallion, Hargan, Hutton, McLaughlin, Doherty, Deery, Beckett, Coyle, T McCallion, Friars.

Referee: J McDermott