Sport

Derry miss chance to top table

Derry C 0 Dundalk 0: DUNDALK’S ATTEMPTS to frustrate Derry City proved positive at the Brandywell last night, the hard-working…

Sat Jul 23 2011 - 01:00

Derry C 0 Dundalk 0:DUNDALK'S ATTEMPTS to frustrate Derry City proved positive at the Brandywell last night, the hard-working Lilywhites sharing the spoils.

That said, goalkeeper Peter Cherrie certainly earned his wages in the first half with vital saves to keep the scoresheet blank at the break.

A victory would have put Derry on top of the Premier table so manager Stephen Kenny will be particularly disappointed not to have secured the three points.

Derry owned the ball overall but failed to seriously penetrate a resolute defensive unit with Dundalk working hard throughout.

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Straight from the kick-off, Derry’s Stephen McLaughlin and James McClean combined before Patrick McEleney forced Cherrie into a superb full-length save.

However, Dundalk could so easily have broken the deadlock in the 21st minute after Derry centre-back Stewart Greacen played a poor back-pass to his goalkeeper, Gerard Doherty.The alert Keith Ward raced through but on a one-on-on situation with Doherty, the goalkeeper did well to block the shot with his legs.

Derry continued to press and in the 27th minute McLaughlin was unfortunate when his low shot from the edge of the area went agonisingly wide of the upright.

McEleney brought the best out of Cherrie in the 31st minute, the Dundalk goalkeeper getting down low to save well.

With the home side continuing to dominate, McClean drove a left-footed volley into the side-netting when he really should have done better.

And one minute before the break Cherrie came to Dundalk’s rescue yet again when parrying a Ryan McBride header from close quarters following a McClean corner.

Derry may have dominated the possession in the second half but they failed to penetrate a well-disciplined visitors’ defence. Greg Bolger and Stephen Maher sat deep to augment their central defenders and that ploy worked.

Derry substitute David McDaid sent a shot wide of the target in the 77th minute having burst forward menacingly.

And in the final minute of normal time, an Eamon Zayed effort was blocked on the goal-line by the Dundalk defence as a frustrated home side dropped what could prove to be two vital points.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; McCallion, McBride, Greacen, Lafferty; McLaughlin (Deery, h/t), McGlynn, Molloy, McClean; McEleney (McDaid, 77), Zayed.

DUNDALK: Cherrie; Madden, Bennett, Hawkins (Murphy, 14 mins.) McHugh; Kearns, Maher, Bolger, Ward, Quigley; Griffin (Breen, 77).

Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).

Attendance: 2,000