DERRY CITY 1-1 DUNDALK FC

John Mountney’s first-half header earned Dundalk a valuable point in the battle at the bottom as they denied Derry City the chance to go top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division table with a 1-1 draw at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Friday night.

Michael Duffy fluffed an early chance for the Candystripes, but Mountney made no mistake with his 21st-minute header which flew past Brian Maher in the home goal.

Derry were enjoying plenty of possession but Dundalk were a huge threat on the break, and Jamie Gullan was denied by Maher before Robbie Mahon fired over eight minutes later, in two big opportunities that fell their way before the interval.

Derry drew level in the 64th minute when half-time substitutes Jacob Davenport and Danny Mullen combined, the latter seeing his left-foot strike fly into the bottom corner. But they would find no winner, as Mullen missed two late chances, the first bringing a fine save out of Felix Goddard.

For the game, Jon Daly made three changes to the team that were beaten at home by Galway United seven days earlier. Hayden Cann, making his debut, Seán Keogh and Mahon came in for Mayowa Animasahun, Ryan O’Kane and Jad Hakiki. Bobby Faulkner and Josh O’Connor were not in the squad but Norman Garbett returned to it following injury.

After a solid start from Dundalk, they were almost undone in the 11th minute when Ben Doherty delivered a dangerous in-swinging cross from the left wing for Duffy to attack in the six-yard box but the ex-Lilywhite headed the ball into the ground and it bounced over the bar.

Dundalk responded with a promising looking move on the quarter-hour as Mountney broke forward but Daryl Horgan, having cut inside, saw his shot well closed down. Then, after a quick break, Mahon’s cross was blocked behind for a corner, which led to a second one and the opening goal as Horgan’s set-piece was headed home by Mountney.

Derry quickly looked for a way back into the game and put Dundalk under pressure. However, again, on the counterattack, Dundalk threatened in the 34th minute when Mahon raced into the left channel and picked out a pass for Gullan in the box but, from a difficult angle, he was denied by Maher.

On 36 minutes, Cameron Dummigan’s cross struck Keogh just inside the area, with loud appeals from the home side for a penalty, but referee Robert Harvey was not interested. Two minutes later, Doherty’s corner was headed over by Mark Connolly.

Three minutes before half-time, Dundalk went close to making it 2-0. Horgan broke towards the Derry goal and slid a pass into the box which Robbie Benson dummied for Mahon to run onto but, with just Maher to beat, he fired over.

At the break, Daly was forced into a change as Scott McGill replaced Benson, who had gone down late in the first period. Derry made a double substitution as Davenport and Mullen were called upon, coming on in place of Adam O’Reilly and Daniel Kelly.

At the start of the second half, Mountney threatened again from a corner, with the midfielder protesting about a pull on his shirt. Derry, though, did begin brightly too, probing around the Dundalk box.

On 63 minutes, Ryan O’Kane replaced Mahon, who put in a fine shift. But Daly’s plan was disrupted as Derry were level within a minute with Mullen’s left-footed shot from just inside the ‘D’ finding the bottom corner.

Dundalk showed composure after that setback, as Derry remained on top. On 74 minutes, Will Patching shot over from range as the title chasers desperately looked for a lead goal and a win that would have taken them to the summit on goal difference, for 24 hours at least.

With ten minutes remaining, Daly threw on Garbett and Eoin Kenny, while Colm Whelan came in for the hosts. Almost immediately, Derry were in on goal when Duffy flicked the ball on into the path of Mullen who tried to place it under Goddard but the on-loan ‘keeper produced a brilliant stop to deny him.

Mullen was in again in the 87th minute when Patrick Hoban challenged Andy Boyle in the air and the ball fell to the feet of the substitute but he lifted it too high over Goddard as it landed on the roof of the net.

Two minutes into injury-time, Dundalk threw bodies on the line to deny Hoban who pulled the trigger. And on 95 minutes, in the final threat, the ex-Lilywhite connected with a free-kick but his header was straight at Goddard, as the Louth men held out for a fully-deserved point to move them three clear of Drogheda United at the foot of the standings.

DERRY CITY: Brian Maher, Cameron Dummigan, Mark Connolly, Ciarán Coll, Ben Doherty (Colm Whelan 82), Adam O’Reilly (Jacob Davenport HT), Will Patching, Daniel Kelly (Danny Mullen HT), Paul McMullan, Michael Duffy, Patrick Hoban. Subs not used: Tadhg Ryan (GK), Sadou Diallo, Shane McEleney, Jordan McEneff, Aaron Heaney, Conor Barr.

DUNDALK FC: Felix Goddard, Dan Pike, Andy Boyle, Hayden Cann, Seán Keogh (Koen Oostenbrink 70), Aodh Dervin, John Mountney, Robbie Benson (Scott McGill HT), Daryl Horgan (Norman Garbett 81), Robbie Mahon (Ryan O’Kane 63), Jamie Gullan (Eoin Kenny 81). Subs not used: Ross Munro (GK), Mayowa Animasahun, Luke Mulligan, Jad Hakiki.

REFEREE: Robert Harvey.

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