League Report: Sligo Rovers 1 - 1 Derry City

A first league win with Sligo Rovers continues to elude Owen Heary as his side played out a 1-1 draw with Derry City in The Showgrounds on Saturday evening.

Philip Lowry and Eoin Wearen both scored inside the opening ten minutes, but neither side possessed the crucial winning touch in a game that quickly faded after an electric start to proceedings. Gavin Peers had the first chance of the match after just four minutes when he met a Keith Ward free-kick with what appeared to be a goal bound header, but Shaun Kelly was on hand to make a goal line clearance.

This was quickly followed by an attack and subsequently a goal at the other end of the pitch when Philip Lowry capitalised on a defensive error and despite a strong save from Coulter, the looping ball still fell kindly for the visitors as it bounced into the back of the net.

This provoked an immediate response from The Bit o'Red who equalised just three minutes later through Eoin Wearen who connected perfectly with a Steven Beattie cross to head home. Rovers took control of the game from here and mounted numerous attacks in the Derry half, also drawing a number of fouls which lead to a couple of big chances for the home side.

Ward forced Doherty into a save from a direct effort, which was followed by a delivery from the half-way line which was met by Dinny Corcoran but the striker's tame effort was cleared off the line by Aaron Barry. The tempo of the game dropped after the the break. Sligo remained on top but they failed to create any clear cut chances as Derry soaked up the pressure and kept the Rovers forwards from getting close to Doherty's goal.

There was a moment of controversy as the game entered its final ten minutes as Kevin Devaney skipped past two defenders before appearing to be fouled in the box. Referee David McKeon saw things differently however and booked the winger for simulation. The Sligo native then came close to a late winner when he was played into the box by Raffael Cretaro, but he could only find the side-netting with an angled shot.

Derry were reduced to ten men with a minute of normal time to go after Mark Timlin was booked twice in the space of two minutes but Rovers were unable to make their advantage count in the four minutes of injury time added on.

Sligo Rovers: Ryan Coulter; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Stephen Folan, Daniel Ledwith; David Cawley, Eoin Wearen, Keith Ward (Raffaele Cretaro 72), Steven Beattie, Kevin Devaney; Dinny Corcoran (Morten Nielsen 76).
Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Jake Dykes, Gary Boylan, Ryan McManus, Sander Puri.

Bookings: Peers (69), Devaney (78)

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Shaun Kelly, Aaron Barry, Shane McEleney, Dean Jarvis (Cillian Morrison 68); Barry McNamee, Philip Lowry, Mark Timlin, Seanan Clucas, Sean Houston (Anthony Elding 62); Patrick McEleney.
Subs not used: Shaun Patton, Seamus Sharkey, Josh Daniels, Ryan Curran.

Bookings: Kelly (19), Clucas (63), Timlin (87).
Sent Off: Timlin (89),

Referee: David McKeon.

Attendance: 2,163.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Keith Ward (Sligo Rovers).