Rovers leave Derry with a point

Sligo Rovers left the Brandywell tonight with a point, but were very unlucky not to have come away with all 3 points.

The first chance of the game fell to Danny Ventre, who saw his shot go just wide of the post. Lafferty then tried from distance for The Candystripes but it was no danger for Brendan Clarke.

Eamon Zayed wasted a great chance when he was put through by Kevin Deery, but he hesitated with the ball as the defence got back before the ball was then eventually cleared.

Derry were enjoying much of the attacking football in the 1st half, with chances few and far between and it was almost half-time when the next clear cut chance fell for Derry. McClean whipped a magnificant ball into the box and Zayed somehow failed to break the deadlock as the teams went in for half time.

Matthew Blinkhorn had the fiirst chance of the second half when he took advantage of a Ruairdhri Higgins mistake, but he could only find the side netting.

Subsitute Joseph Ndo delivered a cracking free-kick into the Derry box which was met by towering defender Jason McGuinness, but he failed to keeper his header down as it went just over the bar.

Ndo then put Eoin Doyle through on goal, but Gerard Doherty denied with with a terrific save. Gareth McGlynn then had a great opportunity to score, but like Blinkhorn, hit the side netting.

Paul Cook introduced Alan Kirby for Danny Ventre, and he made an instant impact when he delivered a threatening ball into the box which forced Eddie McCallion to put it behind for a corner.

Kirby, made a big impact

Photo courtesy of Kevin Finn

Rovers were really enjoying great passages of play, and it seemed to come from the introduction of Kirby, but Derry were just doing enough to keep Rovers from scoring. They'll be wondering how they didn't concede a goal in stoppage time when Alan Kirby struck a shot from inside the box, but it was amazingly cleared off the line.

A decent result in the end, happy enough to come away from the Brandywell, but Friday's game with Shamrock Rovers is a must win if we are too keep going for the League title this season.

Sligo Rovers: Clarke, Keane, McGuinness, Peers, Greene, Cretaro, Ventre (Kirby, 65 mins), Ryan, Russell (Ndo, 53 mins), Doyle, Blinkhorn (Horgan, 87 mins)

Subs not used: Kelly, Foran, Dillon, McGoldrick

Derry City: Doherty, McCallion, Greacen, S. McEleney, Lafferty, McGlynn, Higgins, Deery, McClean, P. McEleney (McDaid, 75 mins), Zayed (McLaughlin, 84 mins)

Subs not used:  Ferry, Friars, Harkin, Henry, McBride