Longford Town 1
Derry City 1
A STUNNING SECOND half strike from substitute Patrick McClean salvaged a share of the spoils for Derry City against a battling Longford Town at the City Calling Stadium.
David O’Sullivan gave the Midlanders the lead on 26 minutes with a close range header.
Rory Patterson then missed the chance for an equaliser 10 minutes later when Longford keeper Paul Skinner saved his penalty kick.
As Derry pressed in a dominant second half the equaliser came from the most unlikeliest source as McClean drilled his ferocious 35 yard strike into the top corner – his first Derry City goal.
Both teams had chances late on but it ended in a draw which was enough to lift Longford off the bottom of the table as they jumped two places, and while Derry lost ground on leaders Dundalk, they remain in second spot having stretched their unbeaten run to seven.
Derry were unchanged from the team which thrashed Shamrock Rovers last weekend with Conor McCormak returning from suspension to take his place on the bench.
The visitors took 10 minutes to warm to the occasion as McNamee drew a foul from Mark Rossister 22 yards from the Longford goal. And the Ramelton man stepped up to take the resultant free-kick but his left footed strike went narrowly over the crossbar.
Longford were gifted a glorious chance to take the lead on 17 minutes when McGlynn’s strike from the edge of the box deflected off the face of McNamee and fortuitously into the path of O’Connor.
However, the Longford skipper’s strike was tipped over the bar superbly by Gerard Doherty.
Vemmelund reacted quickest to intercept a wayward Longford pass deep in the home side’s half before a sublime Cruyff turn took him away from Hofman on 24 minutes.
The Dane found Patterson who peeled away at the back post and the striker’s low shot towards the far corner was put behind by the outstretched hand of Paul Skinner.
Just two minutes later Longford stunned the visitors when O’Sullivan rose highest to meet O’Connor’s inswinging corner kick and head past Doherty from six yards.
The Candystripes had a golden opportunity to get back into the game on 34 minutes when John McKeown dragged back Patterson inside the area as the Strabane man attempted to get on to the end of McNamee’s deft header.
The referee pointed to the spot but Patterson spurned the chance to get back on level terms as his tame shot was saved by the knees of Skinner who guessed correctly.
When the rebound eventually fell to Keith Ward, the winger blasted his shot harmlessly over.
Kenny Shiels was forced into changing his favoured centre half partnership when the injured Aaron Barry was replaced by McClean.
Derry were cranking up the pressure as the interval approached and when Jarvis skipped easily past Noel Havorty, played a neat one-two with Ronan Curtis before his first time strike crashed off the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear.
The injuries were mounting up for Derry as Harry Monaghan limped off the pitch to be replaced by the returning McCormack on 51 minutes.
The Candystripes were enjoying a dominant 10 minute spell when Ward swung his cross into the box and when Skinner spilled the ball Curtis was unable to get his shot off before Patterson’s shot was blocked by Havorty.
Longford were soaking up the pressure and Derry struggled to break down the stubborn home defence.
And it took a stunning strike from McClean on 72 minutes who picked up the ball 35 yards from goal and sent his powerful left footed strike into the top corner to get his side back on level terms in magnificent fashion.
Ward then tested the reactions of Skinner on with a curling freekick but the Longford keeper punched the ball behind.
There was a huge shout for a penalty from the Longford support with 10 minutes to go as Philip Gannon sent O’Sullivan through on goal and the striker went down easily under a shoulder challenge from Ryan McBride but the referee waved play on.
Peter McGlynn blasted recklessly over the Derry bar on 84 minutes when the ball fell kindly to him after a scramble in the visitors’ area.
McNamee then had a glorious chance to clinch victory in the final minute when he got on to the end of Patterson’s pass but he scuffed his tame shot into the hands of Skinner.
Longford Town: Paul Skinner; Noel Havorty, Mark Rossiter, Pat Flynn, Tristan Noack Hofman; Don Cowan ( Lee Duffy 68), Peter McGlynn, Kevin O’Connor (Philip Gannon 71), John McKeown; Mark Hughes; David O’Sullivan.
Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Niclas Vemmelund, Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry (Patrick McClean 37), Dean Jarvis; Keith Ward (Nathan Boyle 83), Harry Monaghan (Conor McCormack 51), Aaron McEneff, Ronan Curtis; Barry McNamee; Rory Patterson.
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