Derry City held by 10 man Drogheda as title dream slips away

DERRY CITY's hopes of clinching the league title were left hanging by a thread after being held by 10 man Drogheda United at Weavers Park.

Ruaidhri Higgins troops failed to capitalise on a night off for Shamrock Rovers and despite moving a point closer to the Hoops at the top of the table, the result all but signalled the end to their chances of a first title in 26 years.

Four points separate the two teams at the top now with Rovers needing just five points from their remaining four matches to clinch a fourth title in row.

Derry did have their chances with 17 year-old keeper Andrew Wogan making a series of excellent saves but they simply didn't produce enough on the night.

Drogheda centre half Conor Keeley was sent off after a second bookable offence late on and despite five additional minutes stoppage time, Derry couldn't find a way to clinch what Higgins pre-match described as a 'must win' game.

Higgins kept faith with the team which started the 6-0 drubbing of UCD last weekend and while they dominated the ball in the opening stages, the visitors were out of sorts.

Will Patching tried his luck from a couple of free kicks early on. The first one from wide on the left took a deflection into the side netting. And three minutes later the Englishman curled his effort narrowly over the crossbar.

Diallo did well to keep the ball in play deep inside the Derry half on 18 minutes before launching the ball upfield, finding the run of McMullan who beat the offside trap but his strike from an angle was turned behind for a corner by Andrew Wogan.

Drogheda boss Kevin Doherty was shown a yellow card for remonstrating with the referee's assistant for not signalling for offside.

Mullen dropped deep to get involved in the action on 22 minutes, turned to run towards goal before laying the ball back into the path of Diallo in space but the midfielder's 25 yard strike was saved comfortably by Wogan.

At the other end Darragh Markey nipped in to dispossess Diallo 30 yards from the Derry goal and when he found Adam Foley in a decent position to his right, the Drogheda wideman curled towards the target but Maher gathered cleanly.

Drogs keeper Wogan reacted well to turn Duffy's deflected cross around the post on 42 minutes but neither team created any clear-cut opening during a frustrating first half for the Candy Stripes.

Higgins will have been far from happy with the opening 45 minutes which lacked tempo and purpose and Derry needed a big response in the second half to keep alive their fading title hopes.

Derry should've opened the scoring on 50 minutes after a quick break when McMullan clipped the ball in from the right wing and with Mullen in acres of space 12 yards from goal, the Scotsman screwed his effort on the volley harmlessly wide of the post.Derry were presented with another big chance three minutes later when Shane McEleney found the run of McMullan with an arrowed crossfield pass.

With Drogs keeper Wogan racing from his line, McMullan took a touch into the path of Patching but his lobbed effort from 25 yards with his first touch sailed well over the target. At the other end Kyle Robinson came so close with a strike from the edge of the penalty area which fizzed just wide of the post with Maher scrambling towards his right hand post.

Patching broke quickly on 59 minutes and played Duffy in down the left wing and when the Galliagh man crossed towards the back post McvMiullan headed wide.Substitute Sam Todd was picked out at the back post by Patchings inswinging free kick and his first touch of the match his downward header was clawed out superbly by Wogan.

Diallo played a one-two with O'Reilly on the edge of the box before attempting to pick out the bottom corner but Wogan was equal to it, saving well as another chance went begging for Derry.

With 18 minutes remaining Higgins went to his bench and brought on McGonigle and Cian Kavanagh to replace Duffy and Mullen.The City boss opted for another attacking double substitution moments later with Patrick McEleney and Brandon Kavanagh entering the fray.

And almost immediately McEleney picked out McGonigle with a brilliant pass but when the striker cut back onto his left foot his effort agonisingly found the side netting with just six minutes left on the clock.With five minutes additional time signalled by the fourth official McMullan raced down the right wing and crossed invitingly towards the back post where Cian Kavanagh rose highest but his header was hooked from the air by Wogan.

Drogheda were reduced to 10 men on 93 minutes when Keeley was shown a second yellow card after he pulled down Kavanagh who was in behind.The Boynesiders broke quickly and found themselves two-on-one but just as Markey was about to unleash his shot from the edge of the box Ben Doherty made an outstanding last ditch tackle.

Derry ran out of time in the end and simply ran out of matches in terms of their title race.

Derry City: Maher: Dummigan, S. McEleney, McJannet (Todd 60), Doherty: McMullan, Diallo (McEleney 77), O'Reilly (B. Kavanagh 77), Duffy (C. Kavanagh 72); Patching; Mullen (McGonigle 72); Subs Not Used - Ryan, Boyce, Coll, McGonigle, P. McEleney, B. Kavanagh, McEneff, C. Kavanagh.]

Drogheda Utd: Wogan; Weir, Kane, Keeley, Markey, Deegan, Robinson (Wade-Slater 73), Foley (Egan 82), O'Brien, Heeney, Davis (Leddy 78), Cox, Jones, Topcu, McNally, Noone.

Referee - Kevin O'Sullivan