League Report: Dundalk 1 - 1 Derry City

A 1-1 draw between two of the Premier Division’s early pace setters, Dundalk and Derry City, mean that there is no change at the top of the table although most of the talk after the game was of referee Padraigh Sutton’s decision to send off two players and produce a total of ten yellow cards

Derry have developed a knack for late goals already this season – four have come in the 90^th minute in their last five games – but an early goal handed Dundalk the advantage from the get-go as the Candystripes struggled to get out of the blocks.

David McMillan was alert to open the scoring for the hosts with a 4^th minute goal. Finn received the ball from a quick Dane Massey free kick and popped it past the Derry defence allowing McMillan to duly poke the ball neatly into the bottom corner of the goal.

The Lilywhites went close twice more in the opening ten; a Brian Gartland header that seemed goal-bound only for David McMillan getting in the way on the goalmouth was followed with a speculative effort from Daryl Horgan which rolled just wide of Ger Doherty’s post.

The visitors were dealt another early blow when Gareth McGlynn pulled up injured as he made ground on a foray down Dundalk’s right hand flank. Roan Curtis was an able replacement and he injected some pace which gave Derry some respite down their left.

To the credit of Kenny Shields and his side, they pressed Dundalk high and were solid at the back. It made for a dull half, the only glimmers of excitement were via the deft touches of Ronan Finn and the exhilarating runs of Horgan which verged on picking the Derry defence’s pockets, but they weathered the Dundalk storm.

For Derry, penned in for large spells, Rory Patterson’s strength was an asset holding the ball up when the Candystripes cleared their lines whilst between the sticks Ger Doherty collected a number of menacing crosses.

The second half didn’t exactly open with a flurry but within the space of five minutes Chris Shields picked up two yellow cards to give Derry a numerical advantage and a sniff of an avenue back into the game.

Niclas Vemmelund nearly evened up the score when he was lucky to not have received his marching orders for a tackle on Horgan. Horgan got clear on the left with space when Vemmelund elected to take him down, it was a poor tackle in rugby terms – much too high. Padraig Sutton didn’t think much of it either, although perhaps Derry were somewhat fortuitous that he deemed it only a yellow.

Almost immediately after this scare, Derry, who had squandered their numerical advantage until this point, were equal. A counter attacking move allowed Patterson to get a yard on the Dundalk defence at the edge of the box. His curling shot rounded Gary Rogers and hit the post. In the race for the rebound between Sean Gannon and McNamee, McNamee was a millisecond quicker to react and pumped it home to send ripples of joy through the away contingent.

Conor McCormack managed to get sent off twice last season against Dundalk – with two different clubs at that – and he kept up that regrettable trend when he barged into an air-bound David McMillan to gather his second yellow on 75 minutes. The lethargy of the first hour of football was banished as an energetic performance from either side ensued spurred on by now raucous supporters.

With minutes of normal time remaining, Stephen O’Donnell almost cropped up with a timely captain’s goal. His looping addition to Finn’s cross was gathered by Doherty from six yards out.

Derry had been positive and ambitious in their play after the equaliser, but reduced to ten men with fifteen to go, they were inclined to dig in for a draw. In the dying embers of the game the true valuation of a point in Oriel Park was evident when Ger Doherty got himself booked for a deliberate misplacement of the ball which forced referee Padraig Sutton to march back down the pitch to book him, as valuable seconds eroded off the clock.

True to their form, there was drama at the end when a prospective 94^th minute ball into Dundalk’s half found Patterson who was clear on goal, but also adjudged to be offside. The sighs of relief from the home fans were matched only by the groans of disappointment and frustration at the full time whistle.

The implication of the result were not lost on the PA as Status Quo rang across the Oriel Park canopy – the table will stay as it is for this weekend at least.

Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey, Stephen O’Donnell, Chris Shields, Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan, Darren Meenan (Patrick McEleny), David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 77).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Shane Grimes, Paddy Barrett, Robbie Benson, Ciaran O’Connor.

Booked: Chris Shields (50), Stephen O’Donnell (87) .

Sent Off: Chris Shields (55).

Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Niclas Vemmelund, Dean Jarvis, Aaron McEeneff (Keith Ward, 65), Ryan Mcride, Conor McCormack, Barry Mcamee, Harry Monaghan, Rory Patterson, Gareth McGlynn (Ronan Curtis 14), Aaron Barry.

Subs not used: Shaun Patton, Jordan Allan,, Patrick McClean, Ryan Doherty, Ronan Curtis, Rory Holden.

Booked: Conor McCormack (40), Aaron McEeneff (53), Niclas Vemmelund (66), Harry Monaghan (80), Barry MacNamee (90), Keith Ward (90), Ger Doherty (94).

Sent Off: Conor McCormack (75).

Referee: Padraig Sutton

Attendance: 2,125

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Ronan Finn (Dundalk FC)