MICHAEL DUFFY scored his third goal of the season from the penalty spot to rescue a point for bottom-of-the-table Derry City against Galway United at the Brandywell.
New Zealand international Moses Dyer broke the deadlock for the visitors on 44 minutes when he fired past Brian Maher from close range.
Derry had dominated the scoring chances up until that point but having scored just once from open play this season, it was the same old story with Evan Watts rarely troubled.
Nine minutes after the break referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot when Sadou Diallo’s shot from 20 yards struck the arm of Patrick Hickey.
Duffy fired the spot-kick past Watts to get Derry back in the game.
Ronan Boyce scuffed his shot when he got in behind the Galway defence late in the second half and debutante Hayden Cann headed over with the best of Derry’s chances.
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Galway were denied by a brilliant save from the alert Maher deep into stoppage time as the Brandywell crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Duffy’s equaliser stops a run of two straight defeats for the Candystripes who are rooted to the bottom of the table after five matches while Galway remain unbeaten.
Tiernan Lynch made four changes from the team which lost at St Pat’s on Monday night and went with an attacking 3-4-3 formation.
Former Dundalk and Drogheda defender Hayden Cann came in for his debut to form a three-man defence alongside Mark Connolly and Kevin Holt.
Ronan Boyce, who sat out the last two defeats through a knee injury made a welcome return while Liam Boyce and Thomas were both recalled to the starting line-up.
Pat Hoban, Paul McMullan, Gavin Whyte and the suspended Carl Winchester dropped out.
Galway made five changes from the team that held champions Shelbourne at Eamon Deacy Park on their last outing with Welsh keeper Evan Watts replacing Brendan Clarke.
Dyer, Burns, Ed McCarthy and Garry Buckley were handed starts with Stephen Walsh, Jimmy Keohane, Greg Cunningham and Regan Donelon dropping to the bench.
Derry made a dominant start and looked dangerous when entering the final third without ever really troubling Watts.
Thomas fired just wide of the far post on four minutes with a right-footed effort from 12 yards with the Welsh keeper rooted to the spot.
Moments later Duffy drilled the ball across the face of goal and at full stretch Boyce couldn’t get a touch inside the six-yard box.
Duffy was proving a real threat to the stubborn Galway defence and the winger shaved the outside of the post on 23 minutes with a curling strike from the edge of the box.
It was Duffy once again who carved out an opening and flashed a cross low towards the back post where Thomas was preparing to bear down on goal from close range until Bobby Burns produced a superb last-ditch tackle before it was cleared off the line.
Thomas raced onto a long punt upfield by Ronan Boyce and the Scotsman’s strike was saved by Watts. Duffy reacted quickest to the rebound but volleyed over the crossbar.
Against the run of play, Galway broke the deadlock 60 seconds before the break. Ed McCarthy’s long throw-in was flicked on at the front post by Hickey and Dyer pounced to fire past Maher from close range.
It was a bitter blow for a Derry side who had dominated the scoring chances but they faced an uphill task in the second half.
Adam O’Reilly tried his luck from 20 yards when the action got underway after the break but his powerful strike bounced narrowly wide of the target.
The ball broke to the edge of the box for Diallo and his shot struck the arm of Hickey before sailing narrowly over the bar. Referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot.
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It was a much-needed upturn in fortunes for City and Duffy stepped up and blasted his spot-kick straight down the middle on 53 minutes.
Ronan Boyce wriggled his way past three Galway defenders on the edge of the box but once he got in behind he dragged his shot well wide of the mark with just the keeper to beat.
Cann rose highest to meet Doherty’s inswinging cross from the left side but arrowed his header over the crossbar as Derry pushed for a winner with four minutes to go.
Galway could’ve earned all three points three minutes into stoppage time when Keohane got in behind the Derry defence but Maher was quick off his line and saved brilliantly.
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Bottom-of-the-table Derry rescue point against Galway
Derry City 1
Galway United 1
Simon Collins reports from the Brandywell
MICHAEL DUFFY scored his third goal of the season from the penalty spot to rescue a point for bottom-of-the-table Derry City against Galway United at the Brandywell.
New Zealand international Moses Dyer broke the deadlock for the visitors on 44 minutes when he fired past Brian Maher from close range.
Derry had dominated the scoring chances up until that point but having scored just once from open play this season, it was the same old story with Evan Watts rarely troubled.
Nine minutes after the break referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot when Sadou Diallo’s shot from 20 yards struck the arm of Patrick Hickey.
Duffy fired the spot-kick past Watts to get Derry back in the game.
Ronan Boyce scuffed his shot when he got in behind the Galway defence late in the second half and debutante Hayden Cann headed over with the best of Derry’s chances.
Galway were denied by a brilliant save from the alert Maher deep into stoppage time as the Brandywell crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Duffy’s equaliser stops a run of two straight defeats for the Candystripes who are rooted to the bottom of the table after five matches while Galway remain unbeaten.
Tiernan Lynch made four changes from the team which lost at St Pat’s on Monday night and went with an attacking 3-4-3 formation.
Former Dundalk and Drogheda defender Hayden Cann came in for his debut to form a three-man defence alongside Mark Connolly and Kevin Holt.
Ronan Boyce, who sat out the last two defeats through a knee injury made a welcome return while Liam Boyce and Thomas were both recalled to the starting line-up.
Pat Hoban, Paul McMullan, Gavin Whyte and the suspended Carl Winchester dropped out.
Galway made five changes from the team that held champions Shelbourne at Eamon Deacy Park on their last outing with Welsh keeper Evan Watts replacing Brendan Clarke.
Dyer, Burns, Ed McCarthy and Garry Buckley were handed starts with Stephen Walsh, Jimmy Keohane, Greg Cunningham and Regan Donelon dropping to the bench.
Derry made a dominant start and looked dangerous when entering the final third without ever really troubling Watts.
Thomas fired just wide of the far post on four minutes with a right-footed effort from 12 yards with the Welsh keeper rooted to the spot.
Moments later Duffy drilled the ball across the face of goal and at full stretch Boyce couldn’t get a touch inside the six-yard box.
Duffy was proving a real threat to the stubborn Galway defence and the winger shaved the outside of the post on 23 minutes with a curling strike from the edge of the box.
It was Duffy once again who carved out an opening and flashed a cross low towards the back post where Thomas was preparing to bear down on goal from close range until Bobby Burns produced a superb last-ditch tackle before it was cleared off the line.
Thomas raced onto a long punt upfield by Ronan Boyce and the Scotsman’s strike was saved by Watts. Duffy reacted quickest to the rebound but volleyed over the crossbar.
Against the run of play, Galway broke the deadlock 60 seconds before the break. Ed McCarthy’s long throw-in was flicked on at the front post by Hickey and Dyer pounced to fire past Maher from close range.
It was a bitter blow for a Derry side who had dominated the scoring chances but they faced an uphill task in the second half.
Adam O’Reilly tried his luck from 20 yards when the action got underway after the break but his powerful strike bounced narrowly wide of the target.
The ball broke to the edge of the box for Diallo and his shot struck the arm of Hickey before sailing narrowly over the bar. Referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot.
It was a much-needed upturn in fortunes for City and Duffy stepped up and blasted his spot-kick straight down the middle on 53 minutes.
Ronan Boyce wriggled his way past three Galway defenders on the edge of the box but once he got in behind he dragged his shot well wide of the mark with just the keeper to beat.
Cann rose highest to meet Doherty’s inswinging cross from the left side but arrowed his header over the crossbar as Derry pushed for a winner with four minutes to go.
Galway could’ve earned all three points three minutes into stoppage time when Keohane got in behind the Derry defence but Maher was quick off his line and saved brilliantly.
Derry City: Maher; Boyce, Connolly, Holt, Cann; Duffy, Diallo, Doherty, Thomas, (Benson 75); O’Reilly; Boyce (Hoban 81).
Galway United: Watts; Byrne, Slevin, Brouder, Borden (Hurley 60), Burns (Kerrigan 89), McCarthy (Keohane h-t), Buckley (Donelon 60), Esua; Hickey, Dyer (Walsh 79).
Referee - Neil Doyle.
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