James Clarke nets late for Bohemians to limit damage against Sligo Rovers

League of Ireland: Bohemians 1 (Clarke 90+5) Sligo Rovers 1 (Elding 28)

James Clarke scored a last-gasp equaliser as Bohemians drew a game they should really have won but might have lost.

Trailing to Owen Elding’s sublime first-half strike, Bohs huffed and puffed for the whole second half, not finding a way past an inspired Sam Sargeant between the Sligo post until the fifth minute of added time.

Dayle Rooney floated over Bohs’ 10th corner of the game with Clarke arriving to head to the net, adding to his goal against Shamrock Rovers on Monday.

Remarkably, Bohs might then have won it with the last kick of the game in the 100th minute when skipper Dawson Devoy shaved the crossbar from the edge of the area.

LOI Talking Points: Bohs fall short of another miracle as Derry City fly up to second

Shamrock Rovers gain ground on challengers with 1-0 win over Waterford

James Clarke nets late for Bohemians to limit damage against Sligo Rovers

Bohemians slip to third place on goal difference behind Derry City while it’s as you were at the bottom, Sligo four points ahead of Cork City.

Brim full of confidence following Monday’s big win, Bohemians began brightly, if not creating the game’s first real chance until 15 minutes.

Ross Tierney galloped in behind on to Collie Whelan’s flick only to blaze high and wide with just Sargeant to beat.

Devoy then found Whelan in space, but he too drilled wide when he should have hit the target before Adam McDonnell brought a fine save from Sargeant as the game somehow remained scoreless.

That changed on 28 minutes when the home crowd were stunned into silent admiration as Sligo took the lead against the run of play with a cracking goal.

It was worked from the back by Reece Hutchinson and Daire Patton, on his full debut, with Elding picking the ball up on the halfway line.

The 19-year-old skipped confidently forward unchallenged before putting the laces of his left boot through the ball to find the roof of Chorazka’s net from some 30 yards.

The brilliant strike mirrored one Elding scored against Shelbourne last month as he registered his eighth goal of the campaign.

Sligo Rovers' Owen Elding celebrates a goal with Daire Patton and Will Fitzgerald. Photograph: Dan Clohessy/Inpho

A terrific save by Sargeant 10 minutes later on John Mountney ensured Sligo took their lead into the break.

Bohemians certainly had more energy from the restart as they chased the game with Devoy and Dayle Rooney trying their luck from distance early on.

Sargeant’s safe hands denied Devoy while Rooney put a free kick over the top before Bohs thought they had levelled on 81 minutes.

Rhys Brennan chipped a ball in from the left which was met by fellow substitute Smith, whose downward header came back off the post.

Sargeant saved again from Brennan before home frustration was finally eased with Clarke’s late leveller.

Elsewhere, a 75th-minute goal from Rory Gaffney earned Shamrock Rovers a 1-0 win over Waterford at Tallaght Stadium to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 11 points.

Derry City move second following a 3-0 home victory over Drogheda United, their third win on the spin.

Galway United came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to Shelbourne, while St Patrick’s Athletic’s struggles continue as they had to settle for a scoreless draw at bottom side Cork City.

BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Morahan (Strods, 85), Cornwall (Kavanagh, 90+1), Flores, Mountney (Smith, h-t); Devoy; Rooney, McDonnell (Buckley, h-t), Clarke, Tierney; Whelan (Brennan, 60).

SLIGO ROVERS: Sargeant; McDonagh, Denham (Wolfe, 61), Reynolds (Mallon, 86), Hutchison; Patton (van Hattum, 86), Doyle-Hayes; Elding, Hakiki, Fitzgerald; Waweru (Lomboto, 68).

Referee: Declan Toland (Athlone).

Attendance: 4,103.