Derry City's winless run continues with stalemate against Dundalk at Oriel Park

Derry City's winless run stretched to three matches as the Candy Stripes were held to their fourth scoreless draw of the season by basement club Dundalk at Oriel Park.

Ruaidhri Higgins predicted his side would meet a resolute and much improved Dundalk outfit who boasted SIX clean sheets from their previous six at home.

And despite both teams having clear cut chances to break the deadlock neither could take advantage.

It was an opportunity missed for second placed Derry with leaders Shelbourne dropping points against Sligo Rovers.

Nevertheless, they edged a point closer to Damien Duff's pacesetters heading into a home clash with Waterford on Monday evening (6pm k.o.)

It's the sixth time this season Derry have failed to score a goal but they had a big chance early on when Adam O'Reilly's strike was palmed away by Ross Munro.

Dundalk, under the tutelage of Jon Daly for the second time, had the better of the goalscoring opportunities however, with Brian Maher producing two vital saves - his second an incredible stop - to deny Cameron Elliott and then James Gullan.

Derry boasted a strong starting eleven with five ex-Dundalk players in the Derry and with two more on the bench!

The Lilywhites' record goalscorer Pat Hoban and winger Daniel Kelly were on the scoresheet the last time Dundalk defeated Derry at Oriel Park back in June 2021 but were togged out in the blue away kit on this occasion.

Higgins had called for a quick tempo start from his troops having allowed 45 minutes pass them by in their previous two fixtures.

And it was certainly much improved as Paul McMullan slotted the ball through to Adam O'Reilly after two minutes and his right footed strike across goal was saved by the strong right hand of Ross Munro.

Moments later Shane Mceleney's attempt from the edge of the box was blocked and fell to Sadou Diallo whose acrobatic overhead kick bounced narrowly wide.

Dundalk were threatening with Daryl Horgan and Sam Durrant in particular looking lively on the counter but the Lilywhites gifted Derry a decent chance on 23 minutes.

Munro bizarrely walked outside his area with the ball before dropping it at his feet and the assistant referee flagged to award Derry a free kick in a promising position.

After much deliberation McMullan knocked the ball back to Patching who chipped it up before volleying it towards goal but Munro redeemed himself with a smart save at his near post to turn it behind.

Dundalk came so close to hitting the front on 28 minutes when Cameron Elliott crossed into the penalty area where Gullan volleyed the ball off the ground and it bounced just over Brian Maher's crossbar.

Doyle switched the ball wide to Horgan in space on the right. The ex-Preston man crossed towards Elliott inside the six yard box and his header was tipped over the bar by Maher.

Hoban was handed his first real sight on goal on the half hour mark when McMullan did brilliantly to find his run at the back post but the Galwegian's diving header nestled into the side netting.

Maher denied Elliot once more in first half stoppage time when Durrant played a neat pass to set him into space inside the box and from a narrow angle his side-footed effort at the near post was saved by the feet of the Derry keeper to keep the match scoreless at the break.

Duffy chested down the ball before striking it over the crossbar on the volley inside the Dundalk penalty area seven minutes into a slow burner of a second half.

Derry were let off the hook on the hour mark when O'Reilly misplaced his pass to Diallo and when Horgan intercepted he found Doyle on the edge of the 18 yard box. With support from either side he played into the feet of Gullan but the striker wastefully fired high over the crossbar.

There were loud calls for handball when Horgan's cross was headed back across goal by Elliott and struck Ciaran Coll but the referee correctly awarded a corner kick.

Maher produced a stunning save to somehow deby Gullen's 20 yard strike which seemed destined for the top corner. It was a remarkable one handed stop by the Dubliner!

It was a decent spell of pressure from the home side and Higgins responded by introducing FOUR substitutions on 78 minutes.

Patrick McEleney, Daniel Kelly, Ben Doherty and Ronan Boyce all entered the fray in an attempt to clinch victory.

Almost immediately Derry broke and when Patching found Duffy the winger drove inside before striking an effort across the face of goal and wide.

Patching then drilled a long distance effort wide of the opposite post and at the other end substitute Ryan O'Kane's piledriver skimmed off the surface and agonisingly wide of Derry's goal with five minutes left on the clock.

Ronan Boyce's late effort struck a Dundalk defender and rattled off the outside of the post as Derry pressed for a winner.

It wasn't to come, however, and they must rediscover their winning touch in three days time!

Dundalk: Munro, Davies, Boyle, Gullan, Horgan, Johnson, Elliot (Kenny 78), Muller, Doyle, Durrant (O'Kane 58), Bradshaw; Subs Not Used - Molloy, Walker, Animasahun, Leonard, Mulligan, Keogh, Case.

Derry City: Maher, Coll (Doherty 78), Connolly, S McEleney, Dummigan (Boyce 77), Diallo (Kelly 77) , O’Reilly, Patching, Duffy (Mullen 86) McMullan (P. McEleney 77), Hoban; Subs Not Used - Ryan, Harkin, McJannet, Patton.

Referee: Daniel Murphy.