Derry City 2

Sligo Rovers 2

Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

WILL PATCHING’S PENALTY rescued a point for Derry City who twice came from behind against Sligo Rovers at the Brandywell.

Following defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Monday, night Ruaidhri Higgins called for a quickfire response but Reece Hutchinson stunned the home support after 18 minutes when his cross looped over the head of Brian Maher and nestled into the net.

Ed McGinty had twice denied Michael Duffy in the first half with two smart saves but the Sligo keeper couldn’t keep out the winger’s neat finish on 51 minutes when he was put through on goal by Pat Hoban – his fourth of the season.

Derry’s triple substitution at the interval had reaped its rewards but when Maher miscued his clearance, Niall Morahan took full advantage as he fired into the corner to put Rovers back in front on 67 minutes.

The home side rallied and when Paul McMullan was brought down by Hutchinson, Patching stepped up to rescue a point.

The result leaves Ruaidhri Higgins side six points behind leaders Shelbourne after the Reds’ big win in Tallaght.

Neither side took command of the opening stages at Brandywell but Sligo’s Conor Malley registered the first shot on target from 20 yards but Maher saved comfortably.

Duffy should’ve scored on seven minutes when Hoban headed McMullan’s cross back across the six-yard box but the Derry winger’s snapshot was parried clear by McGinty.

The home side were made to rue that missed chance as Sligo broke the deadlock on 18 minutes. And it was all too easy for the Bit O’Red as Hutchinson was played into acres of space on the left side of the Derry penalty area and his lobbed cross from an acute angle caught Maher napping and floated into the far corner of the net.

Duffy raced clear on 27 minutes as he chased down a long punt forward but his right-footed strike from 14 yards was saved by the outstretched leg of McGinty.

The visitors were fortunate to keep 11 men on the pitch just after the half-hour mark when Stefan Radosavljevic brought Patching crashing down with a rash challenge in the middle of the pitch.

Match referee Rob Hennessy brandished a yellow card much to the annoyance of the disgruntled Derry City support.

Patching flashed a free-kick narrowly wide of the near post as half-time approached as Derry huffed and puffed into the interval.

City boss Higgins needed a big reaction in the second half and made a triple substitution with the experienced Patrick McEleney, Cameron Dummigan and Cameron McJannet all entering the fray.

Two minutes into the second half, Doherty played a first-time pass to find the run of Duffy but his strike flashed across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

It wasn’t long before the Candystripes were back on level terms after a lovely move which cut open the Sligo defence.

Dummigan found Hoban with a searching pass from right back and the striker’s acrobatic pass with his back to goal found its way to Duffy who glided past his man before firing clinically past McGinty on 51 minutes.

Derry had the bit between their teeth after that and Patrick McEleney came close moments later with a curling strike from the edge of the box.

Suddenly the home support found their voice. Derry were ramping up the pressure and Duffy’s dangerous cross from the left was taken off the head of Patching by a crucial intervention from a Sligo defender who put it behind for a corner.

From the resultant set-piece, Shane McEleney rose to meet it at the back post and McGinty produced a smart save low at his near post.

McMullan then fired over the bar from the edge of the box after Doherty laid it into the Scotsman’s path.

Sligo got their noses back in front on 67 minutes, however, when Maher’s pass was intercepted by Morahan who finished neatly past the City keeper.

McEleney found the run of McMullan with a diagonal pass and when the winger set to shoot just inside the box he was brought down by a barge in the back from Hutchinson.

The match referee pointed straight to the spot and Patching coolly slotted into the bottom corner as Derry equalised for a second time in the match.

Owen Elding cleared Shane McEleney’s close range header off the line in the 92nd minute from an inswinging free-kick as the home side had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Derry City: Maher; Boyce (Dummigan h-t), S. McEleney, Todd (McJannet h-t), Doherty (Mullen 74); McMullan, Diallo (P. McEleney h-t), O’Reilly, Duffy; Patching; Hoban; Subs Not Used – Ryan, Coll, Harkin, Connolly, P. McEleney, Kelly.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Wilson, Wiggett, Reynolds (Smit 76), Hutchinson; Hartmann (Elding 76), Malley, Radosavljevic (McDonagh 90), Morahan; Chapman, Barlow; Subs Not Used – Brush, K. Gabbidon, Mcateer, A. Gabbidon, Jonathan, Malone.

Referee: Rob Hennessy.

First Division results

Wexford 1-2 Bray Wanderers

Kerry 2-0 Finn Harps

Cork City 1-1 Treaty United

Athlone Town 2-2 UCD