Derry City manager Peter Hutton’s ten man team earned a point against Sligo Rovers last night at the Brandywell
DERRY City dodged a bullet last night after Sligo Rovers missed a late penalty at the Brandywell.
The game finished 1-1 with as ten man Derry City hung on for a point in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
The game lacked spark in the first half.
However, the game exploded into life early in the second period when Sander Puri pounced on some slack City defending to open the scoring on 51.
The Candystripes had only to wait two minutes for an equaliser however as Seanan Clucas chipped Richard Brush for a wonderful equaliser.
City saw Mark Timlin sent off mid-way through the half, handing the advantage to the visitors.
But Sligo were unable to make the most of the that and when they did make a breakthrough when they were awarded an 82nd minute penalty, Keane could only smack the spot-kick against the post of Shaun Patton’s goal.
Sligo had the first real attack of the game and Derry’s Dean Jarvis had to be alert to clear Kevin Devaney’s cross from the left after the Sligo man found space behind the City defence with 12 minutes played.
Two minutes later, Seamus Sharkey was forced to block down Gavin Peers’ vicious volley from the edge of the area after the Candystripes failed to adequately clear a Danny Ledwith free from the right.
Both teams have struggled to find consistent league form this term and this was illustrated by a cagey but balanced opening half in which both sides struggled to gain any sort of pattern to their play. Neither goalkeeper were tested during the first half hour.
Owen Heary’s side did go close to an opener on 33 when Steven Beattie did well to keep the ball in play before rounding his opposite number Dean Jarvis.
The former Bohs winger picked out Eoin Wearen at the edge of the area who in turn fed striker Dinny Corcoran whose low drive rebounded back off the butt of Patton’s post with the rookie goalkeeper well beaten.
Derry were found guilty of a lapse in defensive concentration just before the half-time whistle. Puri’s turn saw him move away from Aaron Barry who was left flat footed but the winger’s powerful effort was superbly pushed away by Patton.
Peter Hutton introduced creative playmaker Patrick McEleney to proceedings at half-time in an effort to add some life to a Derry midfield which struggled to create much during the opening 45.
But it was the away side which made the breakthrough with just six minutes of the second half played. Puri chased down a loose ball behind Derry’s back line before bringing the ball around Patton and slotting into an empty net.
That lead only lasted two minutes. Clucas was gifted ample space inside the Sligo penalty area to lift a delightful lob over the head of the helpless Brush who could only watch as the Dungannon man’s weighted effort drifted beyond him and into the net.
The game opened up slightly after that Barry McNamee was unlucky to see his volleyed effort from inside the Sligo area deflected away for a corner on 65, while Rovers’ Ledwith saw his free from 20 yards sail over the City crossbar shortly after.
Referee Arnold Hunter then threw a spanner in the Derry works on 67 when he dismissed Timlin for a heavy tackle on Devaney who Heary immediately withdrew for Danish striker Morten Nielsen.
Gavin Peers nodded wide from a Beattie corner 12 minutes from time as Rovers looked to capitalise on the numerical advantage.
The Bit O’Red spurned a golden opportunity to win the game in the dying stages. Hunter harshly adjudged Jarvis to have bundled over Corcoran in the Derry area but Keane could only blast his spot kick against Patton’s crossbar.
Puri’s spinning full volley from the edge of the Derry box almost stole the show on 90 but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
Derry City: Shaun Patton; Shaun Kelly, Shane McEleney, Seamus Sharkey (for Patrick McEleney HT), Aaron Barry; Mark Timlin, Seanan Clucas, Philip Lowry (for Sean Houston 86), Barry McNamee, Dean Jarvis; Cillian Morrison (for Ryan Curran 74).
Subs not used: Gerard Doherty, Anthony Elding, Joshua Daniels, George Kelly.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Alan Keane, Stephen Folan, Gavin Peers, Danny Ledwith; Steven Beattie, Kevin Devaney (for Morten Nielsen 68), Eoin Wearen, Ryan McManus, Steven Beattie; Dinny Corcoran.
Subs not used: Ryan Coulter, Raffaele Cretaro, Gary Boylan, Keith Ward, Gary Armstrong.
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