Bohemians 1
Derry City 1
AN EARLY JASON Byrne goal, a super Patrick McEleney strike and two red cards for Rory Patterson and Dinny Corcoran summed up an eventful Friday night in Dalymount Park.
After a positive draw last Friday, Bohemians were keen to build on that and they set their stall out early with winger Karl Moore getting down the wing finding his team mate Dinny Corcoran but he could not turn in his shot, seeing it just drift wide.
That did not deter Bohemians however when minutes later Corcoran’s strike partner, Jason Byrne, found himself at the end of another superb move started by the lively Karl Moore. Byrne latched onto the pass and got enough on it to direct it into the net. That early goal set the stall for the home team who pushed for more but couldn’t find that elusive second.
On the 27th minute it was that man Byrne again, who found himself at the end of a pass from Corcoran after wonderful build up play on the right side of the midfield. Even though Byrne’s shot found opposition goalkeeper Gerard Doherty motionless it wasn’t enough to score.
Derry City, who had found themselves under fire from the critics in recent weeks, took the initiative. City pair, McEleney and Patterson, worked well to gradually bring their team back into the game. It was the former who, even though his side came away with a point, will have come away with a “goal of the night” award. McEleney picked up the ball outside the box from Rory Patterson who turned on a sixpence to send a curling shot past helpless Bohs goalkeeper, Lee Murphy.
The goal of the season contender rejuvenated the visitors but their optimism was rocked towards the end of the half when striker, Rory Patterson, was sent off for a lunge on Dave Mulcahy. A 50/50 ball went against Derry when Patterson led with the foot to leave Bohemians Captain, Mulcahy, writhing on the ground with agony.
The blow to the away side left the game hanging in the balance as they went in even on the scoreboard at the break. With the momentum swung back in favour of Bohemians, the home side took the game to Derry at the start of the second half. Paddy Kavanagh for Bohemians took it on his accord to carve out the first chance of the half when he battled in the opposition box with some nice footwork but could only see his shot deflected.
With the tails up they went again, in the 53rd minute a fantastic cross from Kavanagh found Byrne in the 6 yard box but he couldn’t direct his header and the chance went a begging. In another dramatic twist in this game though the momentum swung back to Derry when on the 55th minute Corcoran saw red for an off the ball challenge. The linesman on the stand side signalled to the referee who duly obliged and sent off Corcoran.
With both men even at 10 v. 10 once again, Derry took the initiative; McEleney had another audacious shot this time Murphy stopped it, much to the relief of home manager, Owen Heary.
A nervy last quarter to the game saw plenty of Bohemians pressure but ultimately no end product. Derry to their credit stuck to their defensive duties, in doing so saw out the result. The home side will see this game as two points dropped after dominating for long periods in the initial period. They missed the chance to go ahead of Derry City, a situation that Roddy Collins will be glad he avoided.
BOHEMIANS: Lee Murphy; Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Aidan Price (Eoin Wearen, 45), Steven Beattie; Paddy Kavanagh, Dave Mulcahy, Ryan McEvoy, Karl Moore (Kevin Devaney, 76); Dinny Corcoran, Jason Byrne.
Subs not used: Dean Delany (GK), Stephen Traynor, Jake Hyland, Darragh Reynor, Keith Buckley.
DERRY CITY: Gerard Doherty : Roddy Collins Jr, Aaron Barry , Cliff Byrne , Ryan McBride; Patrick McEleney (Raymond Foy, 82), J.P. McGovern, Danny Ventre, Michael Duffy (Ryan Curran, 60); Enda Curran (Mark Stewart, 76), Rory Patterson.
Subs not used: Dean Jarvis, Nathan Boyle, Ciaran Gallagher (GK), Tony McNamee.