DERRY City’s superb run on the road continued as they frustrated Shamrock Rovers in a lively game that could have gone either way with both sides reduced to ten men before the finish.
A Will Patching penalty preceded a controversial Rory Gaffney leveller, Rovers going six points clear at the top of the table, without looking especially superior to the visitors.
It was no shock that Derry competed with confidence and at times quality under new manager Ruaidhri Higgins.
But the worry for Rovers is that injuries have made their squad look a bit less formidable than it did.
Indeed, the Hoops bench contained some youngsters to whom most League of Ireland aficionados would be unfamiliar.
Injuries to Neil Farrugia and in particular Aaron Greene have hurt the champions.
Derry were good but will probably regret not adding to their wins at Bohemians and Sligo since Ruaidhrí Higgins took over from Deccie Devine. This was one that got away to a degree.
Ridiculous as it seems in May, this was the second game in succession where Rovers played in Tallaght and the pitch was waterlogged in patches, a testament to the bizarre weather that is never far away nowadays.
Graham Burke was, unsurprisingly, pivotal early. He was fouled in Rovers’ first attack by Ciaran Coll but it came to nothing; eight minutes in he found Rory Gaffney, whose header seemed to be saved by Nathan Gartside but a goal-kick was given.
Derry wasted a glorious chance on 13 minutes when Daniel Lafferty made a mess of his pass when they broke three on one from a Rovers corner that badly exposed the hosts’ unit from their own corner.
James Akintunde had done really well initially.
The greasy conditions troubled Patching particularly; surprisingly, the classy playmaker was finding it especially difficult to control the greasy ball in the early stages.
By contrast, his compatriot Akintunde was outstanding with his first touches and he combined with David Parkhouse, who spurned the chance. Dylan Watts, who was also bright, made way for Sean Gannon injured midway through the half.
Danny Mandroiu was relatively sidetracked in the first 27 minutes, at the end of which he danced into a shooting position only to see his effort deflected wide. Burke then slipped when about to strike, the conditions proving troublesome.
Akintunde and Parkhouse are developing an understanding and the latter was off target five minutes from the break but Rovers again appeared a bit jittery.
Gannon did really well down the right in the next attack and Gaffney should have scored but Gartside got down to save.
Sean Hoare gifted Derry a big chance on 49 minutes. Akintunde had too much pace for him from Lafferty’s pass and, rather than shepherd him towards the byeline, he got into a tangle, Akintunde going down and getting the penalty award.
Hoare saw yellow – not for the last time. Patching duly dispatched.
Hoare set about amends, crossing superbly for Gaffney and Liam Scales, who headed wide when he might have done much better.
Rovers were level on 56 minutes. A quick throw-in put Gaffney in and he got around Cameron McJannet before finishing with aplomb into the far corner, under where Rovers’ most vociferous fans usually stand.
It looked as if the throw-in were taken at least a few yards forward, but Derry’s complaints mattered little.
Gartside did brilliantly well to save from Gannon with ten minutes left, the first chance in quite a while, again Derry annoyed as they felt that Hoare had left his foot in on Ciaron Harkin after he won the ball.
The influential Hoare headed wide from the corner.
Hoare and Harkin clashed again with seven minutes to go and this time the former St Patrick’s and Dundalk defender was given a second yellow, giving Derry the advantage to go on and seek a winner.
Patching had a couple of goes at realising that aim, Burke’s defensive duties at the death reflecting Rovers’ difficulties and, after Lafferty blocked off his run, the former Sheffield United defender also saw yellow and red.
The Hoops’ penchant for late goals has been remarkable and, with the last attack and Gartside all at sea, Scales would have scored from Burke’s stunning delivery from a corner had he hit the target. He could not quite do that.
The game finished to a few rays of sunshine, with the light it would seem not gone out on the title race just yet.
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Lopes, Grace, Hoare; Finn, O’Neill, Watts (Gannon 23), Mandroiu (Williams 71), Scales; Burke; Gaffney(Emakhu 88)
Derry City: Gartside; Boyce, Toal, McJannett, Coll, Lafferty; Patching, Thomson (Cole 72), Harkin, Akintunde (Walsh 77); Parkhouse (Fitzgerald 65)
Referee: Graham Kelly
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