Derry City denied opening day win by late Redmond equaliser at Richmond Park

DERRY CITY were on their way to a statement victory against rivals St Patrick’s Athletic on the opening day of the season at Richmond Park as Joe Redmond forced home an 89th minute equaliser.

Jordan McEneff was handed his first start in a Derry shirt and repaid the faith with a 32nd minute goal and a lead the visitors richly deserved.

Michael Duffy had sustained an injury in the warm-up, paving the way for a debut for Fulham loanee and Ireland international Ollie O’Neill and the youngster certainly didn’t disappoint.

In fact the Londoner was unfortunate not to mark his debut with a cheeky finish in the first half but his lobbed effort from 25 yards was headed clear by the Saints’ man of the match, Redmond.

His stunning pass to send Ryan Graydon almost fashioned a goal also but for a great save by David Odumosu.

Overall it was an encouraging night for Derry’s newboys as former Saint Adam O’Reilly showed once more how valuable he can be to Ruaidhri Higgins’ charges with a dominant display, particularly in the first half as every touch from the Corkman was greeted to a chorus of boos and verbal abuse.

Despite the valuable point at the home of a team expected to be involved at the top end of the table this season, the result will be hard to take for the Candy Stripes who had managed the game so well up until the goal and succession of corners which preceded it.

While Duffy was replaced by O’Neill ahead of kick-off, FAI Cup hero Cameron McJannet was handed the captain's armband on his return from injury to replace Ben Doherty who dropped to the bench.

McEneff came in for his first start for Derry, replacing the suspended Sadou Diallo while Jamie McGonigle was given the nod to lead the line at the expense of Cian Kavanagh.

Ronan Boyce and Patrick McEleney who both missed the President's Cup win last weekend, started the match on the bench after recovering from their respective injuries.

Tim Clancy handed debuts to Noah Lewis, Tommy Lonergan and Vladislav Kreida.

It was a lively opening but shots on target were at a premium until the 25th minute when Forrster skipped inside before drilling his low strike into the hands of Brian Maher.

Moments later Derry really should've taken the lead when O'Neill held off two men before slotting a beautifully timed pass to send Graydon one-on-one with David Odumosu but the Pat's keeper did brilliantly to stop his shot with his outstretched right hand.

Odumosu then almost gifted Derry the lead on 28 minutes. The keeper came off his line to intercept Shane McEleney's searching pass from the back. His attempted clearance was picked up by O'Reilly who tried to lob it into the net from 35 yards but Joe Redmond got back to head the goalbound shot away from danger.

Higgins made a tactical switch moving McGonigle out to the left side and O’Reilly into a more central position and the Fulham man grew into the game.

The visitors deservedly took the lead on 32 minutes when McEneff dispossessed Redmond, ran towards goal and as he fell to the ground he managed to slice it over the head of Odumosu who couldn't get enough on it as it sailed into the roof of the net.

Derry's tails were up and McGonigle, coming in off the left wing, tried his luck with a right footed strike which was parried away at full stretch by the Saints keeper.

McJannet picked up an injury during the five minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half and was replaced by Boyce forcing a reshuffle at the back as Coll moved into a more natural left back position.

The home lot pressed for an equaliser and Jamie Lennon's shot through a crowd of legs inside the penalty area was blocked by Connolly as Derry went into the break with a slender but deserved lead.

Clancy went to his bench eight minutes into the second half and introduced former Orlando City winger Jake Mulraney who had turned down an approach from Derry in favour of a move to Inchicore in the close season.

Pats were pressing and on the hour mark the ball was worked inside to Lennon whose shot from the edge of the box arrowed over the crossbar.

The Saints were huffing and puffing rather than marching on as Derry’s game-management frustrated the home support who were irate with the match officials. Patrick McEleney’s introduction for O’Reilly in the middle of the park on the hour mark settled the ship for City.

With three minutes of normal time remaining Mulraney’s free kick deep towards the back post needed to be scooped behind by the alert Maher and from the resultant corner the City keeper palmed it behind for another.

From a third successive corner Redmond wrestled off the attentions of Connolly and got his studs on the ball at the near post to force home the equaliser in the final minute.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for City but on reflection, it will be viewed as a solid point to get the season up and running.

St Pat's: Odumosu; Lewis, Redmond, Grivosti (Atakayi 64) Breslin; Curtis, Lennon, Kreida, Forrester (C. Carty 75); Lonergan (E. Doyle 75), Doyle (Mulraney 53); Subs Not Used - Rogers, , McClelland, McCormack, Timmermans, McGrath.

Derry City: Maher: Coll, Connolly, S. McEleney, McJannet (Boyce 44); Graydon, O'Reilly (P. McEleney 59), McEneff (C. Kavanagh 71), Duffy; Patching; McGonigle (B. Kavanagh 70): Subs Not Used - Ryan, Doherty. Ward, McLaughlin.

Referee - Robert Harvey (Dublin).