Derry missed veteran Liam Coyle, defender Peter Hutton and striker Michael Holt and were under pressure early on with Shels’ midfielder Stuart Byrne going wide with a 20-yard shot on 16 minutes. He also headed a great chance over six minutes from a Jason Byrne knock-down before the break.
City’s Sean Friars headed wide ten minutes after the break for Derry’s best chance of the game, as they remain in the relegation play-off spot. In what proved to be a tempestuous second period, a series of baffling refereeing decisions incensed the Derry crowd, with a number of Shelbourne hand balls going unnoticed.
Shels’ Jason Byrne had a free kick tipped over by former Tolka favourite Alan Gough in the eightieth minute, before substitute Ritchie Baker slalomed his way through the Derry defence in the final minute, in heavy rain, to see his shot from the edge of the area snuffed out by Gough. Pat Fenlon's side stretched their lead at the top to five points, with chasing duo Bohemians and Cork City also drawing on Friday night.