Derry City 0
Shelbourne 0
TEN MAN DERRY City dug deep to earn a point at the Ryan McBride Brandywell against a Shelbourne team whose European ambitions remain intact with two games to go.
Sadou Diallo’s harsh 24th minute sending off for a late challenge on Shane Farrell left Ruaidhri Higgins’ side with it all to do in his 100th league game in charge of the Candystripes.
Derry remain unbeaten in the league since 1 May but they continue to stumble over the finish line having failed to score for the third time in four games.
Victory would’ve secured qualification for Europe for a third successive season for Derry but with St Pat’s now level on points, Derry still need a point to guarantee a Europa Conference League spot in 2024.
As for Shels, who are seeking to qualify for European competition for the first time in 17 years, they remain in the hunt.
Five points separate the teams going into the final two fixtures of the season with Damien Duff’s side just a single point behind fourth placed Bohemians.
Neither team could test the opposition keeper during a scrappy opening 10 minutes but Ben Doherty had Connor Kearns momentarily concerned when his audacious attempted lob sailed narrowly past the far post.
Shelbourne had offered little in terms of goalmouth action but the game swung in their favour on 24 minutes when referee Rob Hennessy showed a straight red card to Diallo.
The City midfielder lunged into a 50-50 challenge with Shane Farrell and appeared to catch the Shels man late on the top of the foot, and Hennessy didn’t hesitate when reaching for his shirt pocket. It was a contentious decision from the referee and Farrell’s theatrics certainly didn’t help the Derry player.
It was the third red card received by a Derry player in the last five league matches and the fifth consecutive sending off in games involving the Brandywell outfit.
This latest dismissal left them facing an uphill battle but they managed to get into the interval on level terms as the match officials were booed off the pitch.
Upon the restart Shelbourne needed just four minutes to register the first shot on target when Paddy Barrett’s long range strike was palmed behind by Brian Maher.
Jack Moylan should’ve done better when he rose highest to meet Farrell’s searching cross at the back post but he misplaced his downward header and the chance was lost on the hour mark.
The visitors were beginning to impose themselves on the match and Farrell stuing the hands of Maher with a well struck volley.
Moylan then bundled the ball over the line on 65 minutes after winning the battle with Cameron McJannet but the referee ruled it out for a handball by the Shels man in the build-up.
Shels came on strong in the end but didn’t do enough to break down a resolute Derry rearguard.
Derry City: Maher, Dummigan, S McEleney, McJannet, Doherty; Diallo, O’Reilly, Patching (P. McEleney 60); McMullan (Boyce 80), Mullen (McEneff 60), Duffy (B. Kavanagh 90); Subs Not Used – Ryan, Coll Connolly, Todd, C. Kavanagh.
Shelbourne: Kearns, Barrett, Molloy, Griffin (Ledwidge 63); Wilson (Da Silva Cabral 63), Farrell, Wood, Coyle (Arubi 85), Lunney, Jarvis (Caffrey 31); Moylan: Subs Not Used – Fisk, Quinn, Byrne, Toure.
Referee: R Hennessy (Dublin).