Derry's Sean Hargan outjumps John Paul Kelly at the Brandywell

McHugh hammered in a glorious curling shot from 25 yards to earn Derry's third successive League Cup triumph.

Derry edged possession in the first half but there was major controversy as Bohs striker Glen Crowe's apparently perfectly good goal was disallowed.

Both teams went close in the second half but the game went to extra-time.

Derry had a chance in the opening seconds at the Brandywell with Ciaran Martyn's through ball playing in Mark Farren but Owen Heary got in a last-ditch challenge to avert the danger.

As Derry continued their lively start, Martyn's attempted cross was almost deflected past Bohs keeper Brian Murphy in the fourth minute while Farren then drove directly at the goalkeeper with an angled shot on eight minutes.

Derry had another chance on 15 minutes but McHugh's header across goal just evaded Farren.

However, the Candystripes had a huge escape on 26 minutes when Bohs striker Crowe had an effort controversially ruled out after he had outjumped Pat Jennings to head the ball into the net.

It looked an extremely harsh call against the former Republic of Ireland striker.

Derry regrouped to create another chance before the interval but Martyn blasted over after he had been played in by Killian Brennan's quick free-kick.

Former Linfield and Lisburn Distillery player Ryan McCann blasted wide for Bohs on 51 minutes and Crowe wasted another half-chance for the Dubliners on 61 when he failed to control Des Byrne's clever pass.

Ciaran Martyn and Owen Heary missed headed opportunities at either end in the final 20 minutes of normal time while Crowe's snapshot was tipped over by Jennings.

Pat McCourt, who had been lively all night, dribbled his way through the Bohs defence in the 75th minute but he took one touch too many and the ball was cleared.

With no goals in normal-time, it looked as though it was going to take something special to win the game and so it proved with McHugh delivering his unstoppable shot in the eighth minute of extra-time.