Heary’s final selection was a familiar 4-4-2, with Jason Byrne captaining the side. Kevin Devaney returned to the right wing, and resumed his terrorising of defences with incisive runs. He was backed up on the right flank by Steven Beattie – how Bohs fans would dearly love to see those two don the famous jersey in 2015.

However, it was a depleted Derry who took the lead. The Candystripes named only 5 substitutes and were without key men Rory Patterson, and Patrick McEleney, but that didn’t stop an impressive opener. Youngster Josh Treacy was offered too much space in front of the back four, and he picked out Mark Timlin on the right edge of the box. Timlin jinked inside Jack Memery, and fired a low drive into Dean Delany’s bottom corner.

Before Friday, Bohs had not come from behind to win a game this season, but that was all to change once the strike partnership of Jason Byrne and Dinny Corcoran clicked into action. Corcoran’s equaliser was his 20th of the season in all competitions, a fantastic return for the Donabate man. Eoin Wearen collected a clearance, and floated the ball back into the box. Derry seemed to stop, thinking Corcoran was offside – but he had time to control on the chest and side-foot Bohs back into it.

On what was likely his last appearance in a Bohs shirt, Steven Beattie was excellent in the right back role. Bombing forward with Devaney on the right, he earned Bohs a penalty on the stroke of half time. Played through by Devaney, he got to the ball a split-second before Ger Doherty in the Derry goal. Referee Andrew Mullaly first indicated a free kick, but after consultation with his assistant, pointed to the spot. Jason Byrne stepped up and did what he does best – scoring yet another league of Ireland winner.

Byrne left the field to a standing ovation late in the second half. With Derry having made their three substitutes, a serious head injury to Ryan McBride meant that Bohs played against 10-men in the last 10 minutes. Dinny had the chance to get a 21st goal in injury time, but his penalty was skewed wide.

The next league game in Dalymount in March will see a new manager, and almost certainly a much-changed squad. A stablised Bohs can now look up the table, and forward to the future.

Bohemians: Dean Delany, Steven Beattie, Roberto Lopes, Aidan Price, Jack Memery, Kevin Devaney (Jake Hyland, 80), Keith Buckley (Paddy Kavanagh, 80), Eoin Wearen, Karl Moore, Dinny Corcoran, Jason Byrne (Craig Walsh, 80). Subs not used: Ryan McEvoy, Adam Evans, Paddy Collins, Gavin Moore.

Derry City: Ger Doherty, Barry Molloy, Shane McEleney, Aaron Barry (Ryan McBride, 46), Dean Jarvis, Mark Timlin, Danny Ventre, Sean Houston (Philip Lowry, 15), Joshua Tracey, Ryan Curran, Nathan Boyle (Stephen Dooley, 68). Subs not used: Michael Duffy, Ciaran Gallagher.

Mr. Green Bohemian Man of the Match: Keith Buckley

An end-of-season malaise can often seep through these mid-table games, but this certainly wasn’t the case as both sides attacked from the off. Bohs’ orthodox 4-4-2 clashed nicely with Sligo’s 4-2-3-1, producing an open game and some genuine entertainment for the Dalymount crowd of 1,093.

The Dalymount pitch is definitely starting to struggle under the combined weight of games, the weather, and Bohs’ training sessions. The result was a surface that lent itself to errors – and the returning Anto Murphy was punished for his in the 24th minute. His sloppy forward pass was cut out and fed to Eamon Zayed, whose cushioned pass found Paul O’Conor on the edge of the box. O’Conor skipped over Roberto Lopes’ challenge before toe poking past Dean Delany.

The opener was against the run of play, and Bohs deservedly equalised through a familiar source five minutes later. Karl Moore’s corner was headed only as far as Keith Buckley on the edge of the box. Bucko’s scuffed shot bounced toward Dinny Corcoran at the back post, and the striker steered in his 19th goal of the season to bring the sides level. Corcoran will be searching for a tremendous tally of 20 goals in the last two games, which would be an excellent return for the Donabate man.

The second half started at a high pace. Dinny should have given Bohs the lead after he got on the end of a Steven Beattie cross, but somehow skewed the ball over from 6 yards under pressure from Gavin Peers. Bohs kept attacking, and deservedly got the lead goal through the excellent Beattie. Keith Buckley (credited with an impressive two assists tonight), picked up a loose clearance, and drove at the Sligo defence. His slide-rule pass was gathered at-a-stretch by Beattie, who managed to get the ball out of his feet just in time – firing high into the net before being clattered by Evan McMillan. Amazingly, it was Beattie’s first league goal of the season, which is a surprising stat for someone who has been one of the Gypsies outstanding performers in 2014.

Sligo were Champions as recently as 2012, and they’ve still got real quality in the squad, despite naming only 4 substitutes for this game. The familiar figure of Rafaelle Cretaro spurned a good chance when he fired into the Shopping Centre from 12 yards, but he had the last laugh by setting up the late equaliser. Jack Memery struggled with the Tobercurry Tornado all night, and Cretaro’s whipped cross in the 81st minute was perfect. It found the head of Eamon Zayed who headed powerfully past Dean Delany. The ball came off the underside of the bar, but was clearly over the line as it dropped.

There was still time for late drama as Aidan Price controversially saw red in injury time. Danny North nudged the ball by him and was running toward goal when Price took him out, but the dismissal was harsh. North, with all due respect, was not going to catch the ball – so technically it wasn’t quite a goalscoring opportunity. Sean Grant thought otherwise, and reached for the back pocket. Price will miss next week’s trip to Cork, meaning Owen Heary will have a defender problem with Derek Pender also out. If Bohs get a result next week, they will almost certainly hand the title to Dundalk. With recent Bohs form against Cork in his mind, John Caulfield won’t be looking forward to it.

Bohemians: Dean Delany, Anto Murphy, Aidan Price, Roberto Lopes, Jack Memery, Keith Buckley, Karl Moore (Adam Evans, 86), Eoin Wearen, Steven Beattie, Jason Byrne (Paddy Kavanagh, 68), Dinny Corcoran. Subs not used: Aaron Shanahan; Ryan McEvoy, Jake Hyland, Craig Walsh, Stephen Best.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush, Gary Boylan, Gavin Peers, Evan McMillan, Danny Ledwith, Raffaele Cretaro, Seamus Conneely, Paul O’Conor, Gary Armstrong (Ruairi Keating, 71), Danny North, Eamon Zayed. Subs not used: Kalen Spillane, Ross Taheny, Ryan McManus.

Mr. Green Bohemian Man of the Match: Steven Beattie

The game had an ‘end of season’ feel about it. Two teams with no relegation fears and no cup priorities cancelled each other out for the first 20 minutes before Dinny Corcoran burst through the Limerick defence for the first real chance. His left-footed effort wrong-footed Barry Ryan, but the Limerick keeper was able to stick out a toe and deflect the ball over the bar. The Limerick defence looked vulnerable when on the back foot, and wide runners Steven Beattie and Karl Moore were causing problems at will.

The opening goal stemmed from a Beattie run down the right. He found Jason Byrne at the edge of the box, and the Bohs veteran stepped inside the defender before shooting low at Ryan. The Limerick shot-stopper could only parry the ball back out to Byrne, who squeezed the ball in from 6 yards. His Samuel Eto’o-esque old man celebration was made all the more ironic when he was removed at half time following what looked like a muscle injury!

Limerick came out of the blocks at a ferocious pace in the second half. The visitors really deserved an equaliser, and only two last-ditch blocks from Roberto Lopes denied Rory Gaffney. Dean Delany was also called into action when he clawed the ball off the line following a goalmouth scramble. Limerick appealed that the ball was over the line, but the linesman wasn’t for moving.

Bohs’ killer goal came against the run of play, and was painfully easy from a Limerick point of view. A Karl Moore corner was floated all the way to the back post – and Bohs captain Dave Mulcahy simply nodded it in from 8 yards. Limerick had no man on the far post – and the ball flopped meekly into the goal with Barry Ryan flailing. Sub Adam Evans should have made it three in injury time, but his effort skewed horribly wide.

Four games left for Bohemians in a promising season. Owen Heary will be targeting a top half finish as the Gypsies travel to Inchicore to face St Pats next Tuesday.

Bohemians; Dean Delany, Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Aidan Price, Jack Memery, Steven Beattie, Dave Mulcahy, Eoin Wearen (Anto Murphy, 82), Karl Moore (Adam Evans, 91), Jason Byrne (Keith Buckley, 46), Dinny Corcoran. Subs not used: Ryan McEvoy, Jake Hyland, Stephen Best, Aaron Shanahan.

Limerick: Barry Ryan, Patrick Nzuzi, Samuel Oji, Stephen Folan, Prince Agyemang (Ian Turner, 56), Shane Duggan, Shane Tracy, Lee Lynch, Ross Mann (Keiran Djalili, 56), Shane O’Connor, Rory Gaffney. Subs not used: Shane Cusack, Michael Leahy, Darragh Rainsford, Val Feeney, Colm Feeney.

Mr. Green Bohemian Man of the Match: Roberto Lopes