League Report: Derry City 0 - 0 Bray Wanderers

IT WON’T go down as one of the more memorable nights at The Brandywell and the natives are beginning to become restless at the lack of goals.

The absence of a recognised goalscorer continues to ring a haunting chime around the Lone Moor Road after Derry City’s scoreless draw against Bray Wanderers.

Last season, the Candystripes celebrated 38 goals between Rory Patterson and Michael Duffy.

These days, Patterson is playing for Cockburn City in rather more luxurious surroundings in Australia while Duffy transferred to Celtic in February. Without them, City’s blade has been considerably blunted – as was clear on a crisp evening by the Foyle when Peter Hutton’s side fired a blank for the fifth time this season.

Derry had the ball in the net 16 minutes from the end, only for an offisde flag to rule out Philip Lowry’s strike. Lowry prodded to the net after Aaron Barry headed Patrick McEleney’s corner off the crossbar.

But a night of frustration for the 1,000 or so home fans endured when captain Ryan McBride was given a straight red card five minutes from the end for a foul on Chris Lyons right in front of match referee Paul Tuite.

The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in the first half came from a setpiece.

Derry should have taken the lead in the 28^th minute, but McBride’s powerful header, after connecting to McEleney’s free kick, was too close to Bray ‘keeper Stephen McGuinness.

Late in the half, Hugh Douglas met David Cassidy’s corner, but his header was just wide of the target with Bray’s first purposeful effort on goal.

Earlier, Derry had shown a glimpse of promise when McEleney drove through, but his effort was kept out by McGuinness while Anthony Elding had a penalty claim waved away by Tuite.

Early in the second half, Aaron Barry fired to the side netting when he should have squeezed home at the back post from McEleney’s corner.

City went closer still just after the hour mark when Elding neatly slipped Morrison through, but with McGuinness advancing the Letterkenny man shot at the goalkeeper.

Elding and McEleney came close as City probed for a winner and the hosts thought they’d won it when Lowry finished, but the hoisted flag quelled the celebrations.

In stoppage time, Ryan Curran went down in the area, but the penalty appeals were weak from the hosts as Bray – after wins over Sligo and Limerick –continue their resurgence under Maciej Tarnogrodzki.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Seamus Sharkey, Shane McEleney (Dean Jarvis 47), Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry; Mark Timlin, Anthony Elding (Sean Houston 90), Barry McNamee, Cillian Morrison (Ryan Curran 65); Patrick McEleney, Philip Lowry.
Subs Not Used: Shaun Patton (gk), Seanan Clucas, Nathan Boyle, Ronan Curtis.

Booked: Lowry (2), Morrison (31).
Sent off: McBride (85)

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Michael Barker, Alan McNally, Hugh Douglas, David Cassidy; Adam Hanlon (Gareth McDonagh 83), Ryan McEvoy, Graham Kelly, Daniel O’Reilly; Peter McGlynn (David Scully 77) Emeka Onwubiko (Chris Lyons 61).
Subs Not Used: Brian Kane (gk), Niall Cooney, Adam Mitchell, Luke Gallagher.

Booked: McEvoy (28). 

Referee: Paul Tuite

Attendance: 1,032

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: David Cassidy (Bray Wanderers)