Derry City will feel this is one that got away, as their European campaign came to a close, as HNK Rijeka secured 1-0 win at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium and a comfortable 2-0 aggregate Europa Conference League success.

A terrible defensive mistake by Cameron Dummigan set-up Daniel Adu-Adjei’s crucial opening goal, this after the home side had started superbly well on the front foot.

City came out of the traps well with Michael Duffy and Liam Boyce in particular causing the Croatian defence a torrid time in the opening few moments and they should have taken the lead on 10 minutes.

Duffy skipped down the left wing before feeding Ellis Chapman, who cut the ball back to Boyce, but after taking a touch and the goal at his mercy, his side footed effort was outstandingly kept out by Aleksa Todorovic, who spread himself and with his right hand clawed the ball back.

Rijeka broke the deadlock after a terrible defensive mistake by Dummigan, after the former Dundalk man gifted the ball to Adu-Adjei close to the right hand touch-line, the Englishman raced into the box, before slotting the ball home past Brian Maher. Rijeka went close to doubling their lead on the half-hour mark but Dummigan did well to block Niko Jankovic’s close range strike, after City failed to clear their lines.

RIght on the stroke of half-time Adu-Adjei ghosted in behind Dummigan, but instead of chipping Maher, the striker turned back before setting up Jankovic, who fired over from the edge of the box.

Lynch made a change at the break with James Clarke coming off the bench to replace Boyce. Rijeka should have netted a second on 53 minutes as Amer Gojak broke clear down the right, his low coss into the six yard box found Adu-Adjei, but the goalscorer was unable to slide the ball home from close range and could only divert the ball past Maher’s right hand post.

Soon after Duffy raced down the left before his deep centre found Adam O’Reilly, who rose well but couldn’t keep his close range header down and the ball flew over the bar. Clarke went co equalising on 60 minutes, but after picking up possession from Bradon Fleming, the ex-Bohemians man, saw his curling effort flash just past Todorovic’s left hand post

The Candystripes made a double change moments later with Barry Cotter and Darragh Burns replacing Brooklyn Lyons-Foster and James Olayinak

The woodwork came to Rijeka’s rescue soon after as Duffy’s 25 yard dipping free-kick, which had Todorovic beaten, rattled the crossbar.

Croatia international Fruk went close to netting a second goal for Rijeka, but his side footed strike from the edge of the box, which had Maher struggling, whistled just wide.

Derry City: Brian Maher, Brooklyn Lyons-Foster (Barry Cotter 61), Cameron Dummigan, Patrick McClean (Jamie Stott 81), Brandon Fleming; Adam O’Reilly, James Olayinka (Darragh Burns 61), Nick Twisk, Michael Duffy; Ellis Chapman; Liam Boyce (James Clarke HT).

HNK Rijeka: Aleksa Todorovic, Niko Jankovic (Justas Lasickas 81), Alfonso Barco, Branko Pavic, Toni Fruk (Ivan Cubelic 88), Amer Gojak, Daniel Adu-Adjei (Goran Grulovic 91), Ante Orec, Tiago Dantas, Miaden Devetak, Ante Majstorovic.

Referee: Jose Goncalves (Portugal).