National League Premier Division/Derry City - 0 Longford Town - 0:  The dismissal of Longford Town skipper, Barry Ferguson, in the 24th minute, proved a major turning point at the Brandywell on Saturday night. The centre half was shown a red card for the alleged use of an elbow on Derry striker Alan Murphy in an off-the-ball incident.

Referee Paul Tuite didn't see the incident but his assistant brought it to his attention. Up until that point, it had been a very open game with both sides crashing shots off the crossbar.

After the game Derry's caretaker manager Peter Hutton said: "After Barry Ferguson had been sent off, they opted to defend in the hope of taking a point while we failed to get in behind them often enough. I felt we should have won the match having dominated the affair but we failed to score."

Longford manager Alan Mathews said he didn't see the incident which saw Ferguson sent off, and said the matter would be dealt with internally.

Longford's Alan Kirby and Shane Barrett went close during the opening minutes while at the other end Ciarán Martyn and Gareth McGlynn also threatened.

However, visiting goalkeeper Stephen O'Brien pulled off a superb save to deny Martyn after the break and then, in the 90th minute, turned Gerry Gill's goal-bound effort wide of his post.

DERRY CITY: Jennings; Brennan, McLaughlin, Delaney, McCallion; McGlynn (O'Grady, 85 mins), Martyn, Doherty, Holt (Gill, 55 mins); Murphy (Farren, 78 mins), Beckett.

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien; Dillon, Ferguson, Paisley, Prunty; Kirby, A Murphy, Keogh (Fitzgerald, 93 mins), Kirby; Lavine (Perth, 57 mins), Bradley (Francis, 85 mins).

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).