Bohemians 3 Derry City 1: Substitute Paul Keegan kept Bohemians' title retention hopes within grasp with two stunning, second-half goals to see off the troublesome challenge of relegation-threatened Derry City.

Having scraped back into the game with a Thomas Heary equaliser to Ciarán Martyn's lead goal for Derry in first-half stoppage time, the introduction of Keegan proved crucial.

Keegan put Bohemians in front with a cracking goal on 59 minutes. Bobby Ryan's flick found Fergal Harkin, who threaded the ball through to Keegan and the finish was superb as he found the roof of the net with a rising shot.

Another flowing move brought the third, clinching goal eight minutes from the end. This time, Dave Morrison's deep cross from the left was laid off skilfully by Ryan and Keegan drilled a shot past Alan Gough.

Before they could kick-off again Derry had skipper Peter Hutton sent off for apparent dissent, his second bookable offence, as their house had well and truly caved in after a promising first half.

Martyn was Derry's scorer on 21 minutes, and it wasn't as if Bohemians hadn't been warned about the midfielder's surging runs and shooting ability.

Martyn had earlier collected a loose ball just inside the Bohemians half, raat the defence and struck a right-foot drive that rattled Shay Kelly's right-hand post.

Bohemians enjoyed a good deal of possession and both Robbie Doyle and Morrison tested Gough with long-range shots.

Well organised and up for the challenge, Derry chased everything, forcing Bohemians into errors. One such mistake brought Derry their second real chance in minutes. Kevin Hunt lost possession on the edge of his area to put Hutton in on goal, but the Derry captain sliced his shot from 12 yards into the side-netting.

There was to be no such let-off for the champions two minutes later as Derry snatched the lead, again out of little or nothing. Once more the danger came from the exuberant Martyn who was first to a loose ball 30 yards out to run at the Bohemians defence.

Having hit the opposite post earlier, Martyn drilled his shot from 20 yards, low and hard the other side of Kelly and this time it squirmed into the corner.

Heary went on his first foray forward from right back, played a one-two with Harkin to find himself in on goal. The finish was executed with some aplomb and his fiercely struck low shot beat Gough at his near post.

BOHEMIANS: Kelly; Heary, Hawkins, Oman, Webb; Ryan (McNally, 84 mins), Hunt, Harkin, Morrison; Doyle (Keegan, h-t), Crowe (Ward, 89 mins).

DERRY CITY: Gough; E McCallion (Simms, 83 mins), Clery (Deery, 75 mins), McLaughlin, Hargan; McGlynn, Martyn, Hutton, Friars; Beckett, Holt.

Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).