Cup final success for the better team over the season although not, perhaps, the best team on the day.

Not that it will matter to anyone associated with Bohemians, who secured a memorable penalty shootout triumph after an entertaining 120 minutes at the RDS with keeper Brian Murphy the hero after saving two spot kicks although it was Lithuanian Mindaugas Kalonas who had the honour of bashing home the winner.

Pat Fenlon's side have been the model of consistency throughout the season and they had to call on all their tenaciousness here. In the end, they owed their success to Murphy who saved from Kevin Deery and Ruaid hri Higgins in the dramatic finale. It was rough enough justice on Derry, whose manager Stephen Kenny felt extremely hard done by afterwards.

"I haven't seen a better performance from a team in a cup final in ten years," he said.

"I thought we controlled most of the game, although they were still dangerous at all times. In fairness, both teams could have won it in extra time but overall I can't believe that we didn't win."

Ultimately, though, Kenny's frustrations arose from two penalty incidents. One that should have been given to his team; one that was awarded to Bohs in dubious fashion.

That made the pain of losing in a penalty shootout harder to take. It may not be much consolation to those in the North West waking up to the reality of defeat this morning, but they still emerge from this season with great credit after contributing to a quality of final which the domestic game badly needed.

While the year has been marred by a litany of financial horrors, this encounter served as a reminder that the standard of player in this league has rapidly improved with full time football. The only shame is that there will be a fight to keep many of those on show yesterday here for the start of next season.

The pace and movement of the Candystripes attacking quartet — wingers Niall McGinn and Gareth McGlynn and strikers Mark Farren and Sammy Morrow — left Bohs in something of a spin. Behind them, the industrious Barry Molloy was strong in the midfield exchanges.

They had two chances in the opening ten minutes with Morrow prominently involved. Firstly, a penalty shout when he fell under a challenge from Owen Heary — later replays showed it was a valid claim — while, shortly after, he headed a Kevin Deery free straight at Murphy.

Nevertheless, it was Bohs who created the game's first serious chance when a rampaging run from Heary forced Clive Delaney into a foul just outside the area. Killian Brennan's trademark curler was duly denied by the woodwork.

In the run up to the interval, however, Bohs needed Murphy to get them out of trouble with the Waterford man producing a top drawer save from a Farren header.

After the resumption, the underdogs were again making the running and when they broke the deadlock on the hour mark it was fully merited. Gary Deegan was adjudged to have taken down Farren at the edge of the box and, from an almost identical situation to Brennan's attempt, Morrow succeeded with a different approach by going for power.

Within four minutes, the Gypsies were level. Kalonas flicked a scuffed Jason Byrne corner onto the post; Glen Crowe was bright enough to snatch the rebound.

It was from another set piece that Bohs pushed ahead in controversial fashion with 20 minutes to go.

Ref Anthony Buttimer reckoned that it was a penalty offence when Morrow, standing alone at the near post, accidentally headed Byrne's corner down into the ground and couldn't get his hand out of the way as it bounced back up. A harsh call.

While Derry protested, Byrne confidently converted. Bohs’ resilient opponents restored parity a mere six minutes later. Inevitably, Morrow was prominent again, with the ex-Hibernian striker finishing a fine team move although much credit must go to the increasingly prominent McGinn who provided the teasing delivery.

After that, extra time was on the cards although not before McGinn came close to winning it with a stinging daisycutter.

Derry made a double sub for the extra thirty minutes, with Stewart and Ruaidhri Higgins brought into the fray, but they nearly fell behind immediately with Gerard Doherty bravely diving at the feet of Brennan six yards out.

The final opportunity would fall to McGinn who advanced on goal where his right footer was expertly turned to safety by Murphy. We were destined for penalties. Bohs were destined for success.