Sligo 0
Derry 0
GER DOHERTY WAS the hero at The Showgrounds as Sligo Rovers were held to a 0-0 draw with Derry City.
Doherty’s first-half heroics will win him all the plaudits, as he kept his side in the game at half-time.
The hosts will have entered the dressing room at half-time wondering how they failed to take the lead before the interval.
The Bit o’Red were offered a golden opportunity to go ahead after 36 minutes, but a stunning double save from Derry stopper Doherty meant that Rovers would have to wait to find the opener.
When Liam Martin was gifted a golden opportunity to beat Doherty in goal, having been played in by Kieran Sadlier, the 34-year-old got his body in the way.
Midfielder Sadlier saw his follow-up effort also blocked by the unbeatable Doherty just seconds later.
Raffaele Cretaro, who netted his fifth of the season in the 2-2 draw with Longford Town last week, could well have given Rovers the lead after 10 minutes. Liam Martin rounded defender Niclas Vemmelund, leaving the Derry defender for dead in the process. His ball was perfectly placed at the feet of Cretaro, who took a touch instead of shooting first-time, with Conor McCormack just getting his toe at the ball to take it out of immediate danger.
Rovers started the second-half strongest, and almost went ahead shortly after the re-start, when Raff Cretaro’s ball from the left was just met by Doherty rather than the intended target of Sadlier, who was in an excellent position in front of goal.
But Kenny Shiels’ side enjoyed a spell of possession in the Rovers area after the hour mark, inflicting huge pressure on the home side.
A defeaning silence filled The Showgrounds as Ronan Curtis opened up his body to unleash an excellent shot at goal that just whistled past Schlingermann’s post.
Derry remain in third place, two points off Cork City, while Rovers are one point behind Galway United who are in fifth place.
Sligo Rovers: Micheal Schlingermann, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Gavin Peers, Gary Boylan, Jimmy Keohane, Kieran Sadlier, Craig Roddan, John Russell, Daniel Kearns, Liam Martin, Raffaele Cretaro.
Subs: Ciaran Nugent, Chris Lyons, Phil Roberts, Michael Leahy, Mikey Place, Gary Armstrong, Paul Doyle.
Derry: Ger Doherty, Dean Javis, Niclas Vemmelund, Ryan McBride, Patrick McClean (Nathan Boyle, 12), Conor McCormack, Barry McNamee, Aaron McEneff, Ronan Curtis (Josh Daniels, 87), Rory Patterson, Lucas Schubert.
Subs: Shaun Patton, Harry Monaghan, Jordon Allen, Keith Ward, Aaron Barry.
Referee: Robert Rogers
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