League Report: Derry City 1 – 1 Shamrock Rovers

Shamrock Rovers looked like they had wrapped up all three points in Derry to get themselves right back into the title race. However, the Hoops conceded an injury time penalty equaliser from Pat Hoban that cancelled out Dylan Watts first half goal and earned the Candystrips a point that could prove critical in the title race for Ruaidhri Higgins’ side.

Neither team could fully exploit the fact that league leaders Shelbourne lost 1-0 in Galway but both City and Rovers have moved a point nearer the Reds. Rovers now face into with two home Dublin derbies to come – Bohemians on Monday and St. Patrick’s Athletic next Friday.

The home side had the better of the first half. They were happy to sit off Shamrock Rovers at times allowing the Hoops to play the ball across the back. However, when they pressed, they pressed in numbers looking to force the Rovers defence into errors.

That put the Hoops on the back foot as they looked to beat the press.

One of the first mistakes from Rovers came when Gary O’Neill took down the lively Danny Mullen on the edge of the box inside the first five minutes. Will Patching took the resulting free kick but clipped the top of the Hoops wall.

Soon after it required a timely intervention from a Pico Lopes boot to stop Mullen inside the six yard box turning home Paul McMullan’s dangerous ball from wide right.

Pöhls pulled off a fine save in the 24th minute when Ciaran Coll let fly from 30 yards and two minutes later the Hoops had the lead. 

Watts picked up Johnny Kenny's centre from the left after he ran onto Lee Grace’s ball from deep. Watts took on the ball and curled it around Mark Connolly and by Brian Maher to nestle into the net for his first league goal of the season.

Later on in the half twice Rovers won free kicks that Jack Byrne whipped into the box but first Josh Honohan and then Lopes headed the chances over the bar and into the Brandywell building site behind Brian Maher’s goal.

Just before referee Damien MacGraith blew his half time whistle, Michael Duffy was a whisker away from the equaliser as he dragged his low shot just beyond the Rovers back post.

Early in the second half both sides hit well drilled shots directly at the opposition goalkeeper with Mullen hitting one from distance for Derry while Danny Mandroiu found Maher when he took a free for the Hoops after Mark Connolly went in the book for taking down Kenny.

Connolly did have the ball in the net just after the hour mark when the Candystripes recycled a Michael Duffy corner but the assistant referee’s flag had gone up. They also had a big shout for a handball in the box when Danny Mullen’s cross hit the arm of Lee Grace.

The Hoops were happy to slow the game down, backing themselves to keep their 1-0 lead but they couldn’t get their first away league clean since the end of May as controversially referee Damien MacGraith pointed to the penalty spot with the Hoops claiming Honohan didn’t touch McEleney when he tumbled in the box in the 90th minute.

The protests were in vein though as Hoban dispatched his 13^th goal of the season to move him top of the goalscoring charts but more importantly move his team a point nearer Shels. 

With six games remaining for the top three, the Reds remain top with the Candystripes just one win behind them and the Hoops a further four points back.

Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce, Mark Connolly ©, Andre Wisdom, Ciarán Coll (Sean Robertson 79); Sadou Diallo (Patrick McEleney 65), William Patching  (Jacob Davenport 79); Paul McMullan (Patrick Hoban 65), Adam O'Reilly, Michael Duffy; Daniel Mullen (Colm Whelan 79).

Subs not used: Tadhg Ryan, Shane McEleney, Duncan Idehen, Glenn McCourt.
Booked: Paul McMullan (41), Mark Connolly (53), Adam O'Reilly (65).

Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pöhls; Lee Grace, Pico Lopes ©, Daniel Cleary; Joshua Honohan, Gary O'Neill, Dylan Watts, Neil Farrugia; Jack Byrne (Graham Burke 66), Daniel Mandroiu (Darragh Nugent 86), Johnny Kenny (Marc McNulty 75).
Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Seán Kavanagh, Trevor Clarke, Richard Towell, Darragh Burns, Markus Poom.
Booked: Lee Grace (34), Gary O'Neill (54), Johnny Kenny (68).

Referee: Damien MacGraith. 
Attendance: 3,382 
extratime.com Player of the Match: Pico Lopes (Shamrock Rovers)