THIS WAS A valuable point for Derry City and one that manager Tiernan Lynch badly needed.
They’d lost three of their last four – all to Dublin clubs – and the pressure was building given the grand aspirations they started this season with.
Rather than viewing a stalemate with St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park as enhancing their Premier Division title credentials, for now it just ensures the noise around the man in charge will be dialed down.
Well, until they face Drogheda United on Friday.
They started the night in sixth and ended it in sixth. That will do for now, but improvement must come, of course.
Stephen Kenny was denied a fifth successive victory for a St Pat’s side that have looked reinvigorated over recent weeks.
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This was no reality check, merely a reminder of those games that so often hang in the balance. Neither side could do enough to tip the scales in their favour and the Saints stay second, three points adrift of leaders Bohemians with Shamrock Rovers two further back.
Derry started brightly and with purpose. They forced a few early corners, won a dangerous free kick wide on the left in the final third, but lacked the killer touch required from Michael Duffy’s inswinger.
No surprise given they have yet to take the lead for any significant amount of time so far this season. Their two wins have come courtesy of goals in second-half stoppage time and the story of their campaign has indeed been one toil and trouble.
There are some in Derry – and beyond – who fear impending doom for manager Lynch. At the very start of the season those late wins, coming from behind at home to Sligo Rovers and Waterford, could be held up as signs of a spirited squad capable of snatching victory even when they were far from their best.
The problem has been those struggles have continued, a lack of fluency and confidence evident to this point. The doubts have increased and not much has happened to ease them.
Pat’s, on the other hand, weren’t quite riding the wave of momentum that you’d expect after four wins on the spin and 12 goals scored – perhaps the loss of Kian Leavy with a back injury can explain that.
Sean Hoare did have a decent chance with a header from a James Brown corner on 18 minutes but it was the closest they came during that first half.
Michael Duffy fluffed his lines six minutes before the break with the best chance from free play. Sharp feet and good thinking from Barry Cotter down the right left two St Pat’s defenders for dead and saw him drive into the box.
Rather than a wild lash across goal he picked out Duffy with a perfect pass just to the right of the penalty spot. Uncharacteristically, the reigning player of the year swiped wildly, his low effort was tame and easily cleared by retreating centre back Joe Redmond.
The game was in the balance as the second half wore on and both sets of players sensed it. Pat’s appealed for a penalty on 53 minutes when there was a coming together between Patrick McClean and Romal Palmer as the latter raced onto a clipped ball over the top which the Derry centre back looked to have misjudged.
Both men ended up on the floor and referee Rob Harvey blew for a free out. The Pat’s bench raged and there was no doubt a sense of relief a few feet away for the visitors.
Confusion then reigned around 73 minutes when Derry made a quadruple substitution. Adam O’Reilly, Conor Barr, Josh Thomas and James Clarke were all introduced and when play resumed the crowd had already realised something was amiss.
Derry had 12 men and after a few moments of deliberation they got to the bottom of the mix up as Darragh Markey’s number had not gone up on the board. He then got a yellow card for his troubles as he trotted off.
One of those subs, Thomas, almost re-energised Derry’s season with more late drama when he shoulder Hoare off the ball down the left flank and drove into the box. He opened his body for the shot but Joseph Anang made a comfortable save.
Just before the start of six minutes of injury time there was a scramble in the six-yard box at the other end of the pitch when Pat’s broke down the left.
A swarm of bodies were involved – it was like an Arsenal corner kick – but there was no late joy for the Saints on a scrappy night before St Patrick’s Day.
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St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Joe Redmond, Sean Hoare, Luke Turner; James Brown, Barry Baggley, Darragh Nugent, Romal Palmer, Jason McClelland (Anto Breslin 79); Aidan Keena (Max Mata 66), Ryan Edmondson (Glory Nzingo 66).
Derry City: Ed Beach; Alex Bannon, Jamie Stott, Patrick McClean; Barry Cotter (Conor Barr 73), James McClean, Darragh Markey (James Clarke 73), James Olayinka, Brandon Fleming; Michael Duffy (Adam O’Reilly 73), Dipo Akinyemi (Joshua Thomas 73).
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Derry City earn point away to St Pat's to ease pressure on boss Tiernan Lynch
St Patrick’s Athletic 0
Derry City 0
THIS WAS A valuable point for Derry City and one that manager Tiernan Lynch badly needed.
They’d lost three of their last four – all to Dublin clubs – and the pressure was building given the grand aspirations they started this season with.
Rather than viewing a stalemate with St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park as enhancing their Premier Division title credentials, for now it just ensures the noise around the man in charge will be dialed down.
Well, until they face Drogheda United on Friday.
They started the night in sixth and ended it in sixth. That will do for now, but improvement must come, of course.
Stephen Kenny was denied a fifth successive victory for a St Pat’s side that have looked reinvigorated over recent weeks.
This was no reality check, merely a reminder of those games that so often hang in the balance. Neither side could do enough to tip the scales in their favour and the Saints stay second, three points adrift of leaders Bohemians with Shamrock Rovers two further back.
Derry started brightly and with purpose. They forced a few early corners, won a dangerous free kick wide on the left in the final third, but lacked the killer touch required from Michael Duffy’s inswinger.
No surprise given they have yet to take the lead for any significant amount of time so far this season. Their two wins have come courtesy of goals in second-half stoppage time and the story of their campaign has indeed been one toil and trouble.
There are some in Derry – and beyond – who fear impending doom for manager Lynch. At the very start of the season those late wins, coming from behind at home to Sligo Rovers and Waterford, could be held up as signs of a spirited squad capable of snatching victory even when they were far from their best.
The problem has been those struggles have continued, a lack of fluency and confidence evident to this point. The doubts have increased and not much has happened to ease them.
Pat’s, on the other hand, weren’t quite riding the wave of momentum that you’d expect after four wins on the spin and 12 goals scored – perhaps the loss of Kian Leavy with a back injury can explain that.
Sean Hoare did have a decent chance with a header from a James Brown corner on 18 minutes but it was the closest they came during that first half.
Michael Duffy fluffed his lines six minutes before the break with the best chance from free play. Sharp feet and good thinking from Barry Cotter down the right left two St Pat’s defenders for dead and saw him drive into the box.
Rather than a wild lash across goal he picked out Duffy with a perfect pass just to the right of the penalty spot. Uncharacteristically, the reigning player of the year swiped wildly, his low effort was tame and easily cleared by retreating centre back Joe Redmond.
The game was in the balance as the second half wore on and both sets of players sensed it. Pat’s appealed for a penalty on 53 minutes when there was a coming together between Patrick McClean and Romal Palmer as the latter raced onto a clipped ball over the top which the Derry centre back looked to have misjudged.
Both men ended up on the floor and referee Rob Harvey blew for a free out. The Pat’s bench raged and there was no doubt a sense of relief a few feet away for the visitors.
Confusion then reigned around 73 minutes when Derry made a quadruple substitution. Adam O’Reilly, Conor Barr, Josh Thomas and James Clarke were all introduced and when play resumed the crowd had already realised something was amiss.
Derry had 12 men and after a few moments of deliberation they got to the bottom of the mix up as Darragh Markey’s number had not gone up on the board. He then got a yellow card for his troubles as he trotted off.
One of those subs, Thomas, almost re-energised Derry’s season with more late drama when he shoulder Hoare off the ball down the left flank and drove into the box. He opened his body for the shot but Joseph Anang made a comfortable save.
Just before the start of six minutes of injury time there was a scramble in the six-yard box at the other end of the pitch when Pat’s broke down the left.
A swarm of bodies were involved – it was like an Arsenal corner kick – but there was no late joy for the Saints on a scrappy night before St Patrick’s Day.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Joe Redmond, Sean Hoare, Luke Turner; James Brown, Barry Baggley, Darragh Nugent, Romal Palmer, Jason McClelland (Anto Breslin 79); Aidan Keena (Max Mata 66), Ryan Edmondson (Glory Nzingo 66).
Derry City: Ed Beach; Alex Bannon, Jamie Stott, Patrick McClean; Barry Cotter (Conor Barr 73), James McClean, Darragh Markey (James Clarke 73), James Olayinka, Brandon Fleming; Michael Duffy (Adam O’Reilly 73), Dipo Akinyemi (Joshua Thomas 73).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
Attendance: 4,502.
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Derry City League of Ireland LOI loi2026 St. Patrick's Athletic