Derry City 0 

Sligo Rovers 0

Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

DERRY CITY were made to rue a host of missed chances in the first half as Sligo Rovers held them to a scoreless draw at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Sligo keeper Ed McGinty made a superb save from Brandon Kavanagh early on and in-form striker Jamie McGonigle, scorer of a stoppage time winner against Shamrock Rovers on Friday night, struck the crossbar when clean through on goal.

City skipper Eoin Toal missed a gilt-edged chance with a header from a Will Patching corner during a one-sided opening half hour for the hosts.

However, Sligo edged their way back into the contest and David Cawley could’ve handed the visitors a shock lead but his close range strike cannoned off the crossbar. There was little goalmouth action as both sides cancelled each other out in the second half but Toal and Kavanagh came closest with long range efforts in the closing stages.

Ruaidhri Higgins made two changes from the team which clinched a dramatic stoppage time victory over Shamrock Rovers on Friday. The injured Ciaron Harkin made way for Patrick McEleney who made his first start of the season and Ciaran Coll came in for Danny Lafferty.

The Candystripes were on top in the opening stages and Brandon Kavanagh’s left footed strike from the edge of the area was turned over the crossbar acrobatically by Ed McGinty.

Will Patching found the run of McGonigle with a perfectly weighted pass over the top of the Sligo defence and the striker brought it down superbly on his left foot before crashing his effort off the underside of the crossbar.

It was a promising spell for the home side and moments later Patching sent in an inviting cross towards the back post from a corner but Eoin Toal’s header went straight into the hands of the keeper.

McEleney played a lovely disguised pass into the path of Kavanagh who ran unopposed into the Sligo penalty area on 28 minutes but McGinty was quick off his line and timed his save well with an outstretched hand.

Derry continued to press forward and really should’ve opened the scoring when McEleney stood the ball up towards the near post but Toal somehow headed the wrong side of the post.

Sligo Rovers’ first effort arrived on 35 minutes but it was a long range strike from Greg Bolger which bounced harmlessly wide of Brian Maher’s goal.

Derry dominated the first half but Sligo came so close to taking in the final minute of stoppage time as Cawley directed Lewis Banks’ cross onto the underside of the crossbar.

Sligo striker Aidan Keena fired a close range shot narrowly over the crossbar from Robbie McCourts cross from the left two minutes into the second half.

Cawley tested the reflexes of the Derry keeper on 58 minutes with a snapshot at the near post as Maher gathered at the second attempt. City boss Higgins made a double substitution just short of the hour mark in an attempt to turn the tide with Matty Smith coming on for his debut alongside Ronan Boyce.

Kavanagh almost caught McGinty out with a long range curling effort from wide on the right flank but the Sligo keeper did superbly to tip the effort over the crossbar with three minutes remaining.

City skipper Toal then flashed a low strike narrowly wide of the far post with McGinty scrambling across his goal in stoppage time as Derry pressed.

However, they could find no way past a resolute Sligo defence as both sides remain unbeaten.

Derry City: Maher; Toal, McJannet, Coll (Lafferty 77); Dummigan, Thomson (Boyce 59), Patching, Kavanagh; Akintunde, McGonigle, McEleney (Smith 59)

Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Banks, Buckley, Pijnaker, McCourt (Kirk 66); O’Sullivan, McDonnell ( Keogh 87), Bolger (Morahan 74), Fitzgerald; Cawley; Keena (Mata 87)

Referee: Damien MacGraith.

Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below: