Draw ends Derry’s league hopes
By Daire Walsh
DERRY City’s slim chances of winning the 2011 Airtricity Premier Division finally came to an end in Richmond Park last night, as Stephen McLaughlin’s peculiar 73rd minute finish ensured that both sides came away with a share of the spoils from this entertaining clash.
It had looked for a while like Derry would go into their final game with Bohemians needing a win to secure a third place position, but a combination of McLaughlin’s goal, and St Pat’s midfielder Stephen Bradley’s injury-time penalty miss, means that Stephen Kenny’s side are guaranteed a top-three finish.
The two sides contributed to a pulsating opening 15 minutes, but Pat’s began to take charge as the half wore on, as O’Connor and Mulcahy were causing the Derry rearguard a whole host of problems on the wings.
O’Connor was denied by an excellent near post save from Doherty on 25 minutes, but he got it right five minutes later when his sublime chip from just inside the area, which arrived via a terrific through-ball by Paul Crowley, found the back of the Derry net over the head of the helpless Doherty.
Derry did their level best to force their way back into the contest before the interval, but Pat’s continued to control the game and were full value for their one-goal lead at the break.
Indeed, if it hadn’t been for some heroics from Greacen and Ryan McBride at the heart of the Derry defence, they could have been even further behind.
There were few moments of action in the minutes just after the re-start, which was making it very difficult for The Candystripes to get the goal that they badly craved.
However, just when it looked like the moment wouldn’t arrive, McLaughlin stepped up in the most bizarre of circumstances with 17 minutes remaining, as he crept up behind Bennion (who had rolled the ball out in front of his feet), and took the ball round the Scottish netminder, before finishing into an empty net.
This brilliant piece of opportunism did raise the possibility of Derry stealing all three points, but it seemed that their were staring defeat in the face when Pat’s were awarded a penalty on the stroke of full-time, but Bradley was extremely unfortunate to see his effort come back off the foot of the post.
Derry had to withstand some intense pressure on their goal in the closing stages.
However, they rode this storm successfully, and now head into their final game of the season against Pat Fenlon’s outfit knowing that Pat’s will not be able to overtake them after week 36 is completed.