Institute let Armagh City off the hook but positives for Kevin Deery after Brandywell draw

Institute 0, Armagh City 0

What's that mantra about looking after performances and results taking care of themselves?

After successive league defeats, Institute manager Kevin Deery got the performance he was after against Armagh City on Friday but not the win his team deserved after passing up three gilt edged second half chances to claim three points at Brandywell Stadium.

A dour, goalless opening half gave way to an Institute dominated second 45 minutes during which substitute Mikhail Kennedy, the excellent Oisin Duffy and Sean Carlin all failed to convert huge opportunities for the home side. And those weren't even the only chances created as Deery's team consistently opened up an Armagh side who had enjoyed the better of the opening period.

Indeed the only thing missing for 'Stute was a finish to some of their free flowing second half football. Less than two minutes after being introduced alongside Cormac Burke on the hour mark, Duffy slipped in Kennedy who skipped past one penalty area challenge before crashing a fierce shot off the Armagh crossbar.

Fifteen minutes later Burke produced the pass of the match to send Duffy clear but after stepping inside a chasing defender, Duffy saw his shot smothered by advancing Armagh keeper Connor Byrne.

Those were close, but the closest was yet to come when Kennedy did superbly to drive into the box and pull the ball back across goal with a cross that seemed to take Byrne out of the equation. Waiting behind was Carlin who did well to twist and get his head to the ball but from only six yards he couldn't get enough on his effort as the City No. 1 scrambled back to claw it off the line.

Or did he? Deery and the 'Stute bench were convinced the header had crossed the line and may have had a case given the keeper's position but it was all academic as referee Glenn Buchanan waved away their appeals.

And the night was summed up when Stephen Doherty - superb with his deliveries all evening - sent another probing pass which was millimetres from handing Duffy an open goal in the 93rd minute with what would have been the final kick. It encapsulated a performance which had more positives than negatives. Frustration, yes, but if Institute continue to create chances as they did here then goals will inevitably follow.

'Stute came into the game off the back of three consecutive defeats, two of those in the league to Ards and H&W Welders, with the 0-2 midweek Bet McLean League Cup defeat to Larne less of a concern for Deery. That form was in sharp contrast to Armagh who were unbeaten in three league matches, a run that included victories over Ballinamallard and Welders either side of a draw against Newry.

Four points separated the teams in the table but there was nothing between them in an opening first half shaded by the visitors whose three best chances all arrived in the final two minutes.

Previous to those it was a half of little goalmouth incident, 'Stute only once testing Byrne once when centre half Caoimhan Crossan decided to go on a mazy run from inside his own half 16 minutes in. With the Armagh defence retreating, Crossan showed some lovely footwork to work his way to the edge of the visitors' area from where his excellent low drive almost squeezed under Byrne's outstretched foot at the near post.

It was an all too isolated incident in the opening half but both teams were guilty of playing too much of their football in front of their opposition.

Nippy right winger James McCormack always looked Armagh's biggest threat while tall midfielder Noeem Oladunjoye showed some lovely touches but with Deery demanding his defence push up at every opportunity, Armagh too struggled to create anything of note before their late flurry.

A near post block by Brandon Diau which crept too close to Doherty's near post on its way behind for a third minute corner was the sum of Armagh's efforts until, with one minute remaining until half-time, a cross from the left was missed by two Stute defenders to leave right back Jack Clarke with a free strike on goal.

His effort was decent, but so too was Doherty's save, diving to his left to turn it behind at the expense of a corner. And with 'Stute struggling to get the resultant corner away, the visitors recycled possession with Oladunjoye driving into the box and forcing Doherty into another stop at his near post.

The drama wasn't done either as from the corner big centre-half Ethan Jordan got himself a yard of space but sent his header only inches over the bar as the sides went into the break deadlocked.

And so it would remain at the final whistle, but only after Institute saw chance after chance slip through their fingers in a very one sided half. The introduction of Kennedy, Burke and Brendan McLaughlin hints at the strength in depth Deery is developing as he nears a return to a full squad to select from. If his players maintain their second half level and add a clinical edge, 'Stute will climb the table quickly.

Institute: Fintan Doherty, Shane Boyle (Rhys McDermott, 78mins), Padraig Lynch (Mikhail Kennedy, 60mins), Sean Carlin, Michael Harris (Cormac Burke, 60mins), Oisin Duffy, Gabriel Aduaka (Brendan McLaughlin, 72mins), Brandon Diau, Stephen Doherty, Dean Brown, Caoimhan Crossan.

Armagh City: Connor Byrne, Shea Geraghty, James McCormack (Stefan Lavery, 86mins), Shea Conway, Igor Rutkowski (Ugochukwu Anny-Nzekwue, 86mins), Ruairi Duffy (Aaron Coogan, 67mins), Jack Clarke, Ethan Jordan, Marc McConnell (Conor Mullen, 67mins), Noeem Oladunjoye, Scott McCann.

Referee: Glenn Buchanan.