Soccer

Derry City frustrated as Wexford Youths get a draw

 Derry City’s Rory Patterson had the ball in the net against Wexford Youths last night but the strike was disallowed as City drew a blank against the Premier Division strugglers
 Derry City’s Rory Patterson had the ball in the net against Wexford Youths last night but the strike was disallowed as City drew a blank against the Premier Division strugglers  Derry City’s Rory Patterson had the ball in the net against Wexford Youths last night but the strike was disallowed as City drew a blank against the Premier Division strugglers

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division: Wexford Youths 0 Derry City 0

DERRY City had to battle hard for a scoreless draw at relegation-threatened Wexford Youths last night.

Although both sides had chances, it will be the home side who will feel it was a case of two points dropped rather than one gained, as they had probably the better of the chances.

Derry will also have left Ferrycarrig Park slightly frustrated as they had a few good opportunities, with striker Nathan Boyle and Lukas Schubert in particular missing glorious chances.

City made three changes to their side which saw off Youths in the FAI Cup last week, with Max Karner and Harry Monaghan replacing the suspended duo Dean Jarvis and Aaron McEneff, while Boyle came in for Ronan Curtis, who dropped to the bench.

However, it was the Youths who had a good chance early on but striker Paul Murphy put his close-range header straight at Derry keeper Gerard Doherty. The woodwork then came to Derry’s rescue on nine minutes as Eric Molloy, who gave Youths the lead early on last week, saw his close-range strike, which had Doherty beaten, rattle the crossbar.

After that early scare, Derry started to get a foothold in the game with Schubert, Barry McNamee and Monaghan all going close before the 20-minute mark. City thought they had taken the lead on 30 minutes but leading scorer Rory Patterson’s celebrations were caught short as the referee’s assistant’s flag was raised after he side footed home from close range.

On 32 minutes, Wexford substitute Jon Bonner saw his stinging long-range drive, which had Doherty scrambling across his line, fly just over the bar. Soon after, Murphy got away from the Derry back-line, but he was denied by the out-rushing Doherty, who diverted the effort over the bar.

On 39 minutes, Murphy got in behind the Derry defence again, but his shot from just inside the box was once again turned over the bar by the alert Doherty.

Derry started the second half well and should have taken the lead after just 47 seconds as Conor McCormack’s pass found Schubert creeping in behind the Youths defence, but he blasted wide from just inside the box.

Soon after, a clever rightwing cross by Patterson found striking partner Boyle at the near post, but he blasted off-target with the goal at his mercy.

Derry missed a glorious chance just before the hour mark as Boyle’s close-range strike was kept out by Doyle after Schubert’s right wing centre had created the clear cut opening.

Moments later Doherty was called into action as he dived to his right to keep out Bonner’s side-footed strike.

Seven minutes from time Schubert missed a glorious chance after Ben Doherty’s cross found the Austrian totally unmarked inside the six-yard box, but with the goal at his mercy, the winger stood on the ball and the chance was gone.

Right at the death, Molloy was inches away from winning the game for the home side as his drive was tipped over the bar by Doherty, who earned his wages on the night.

MATCH STATS


Wexford Youths: Doyle, McCabe, Delaney (Bonner 20), Grace, Mulligan, Keeivan, Molloy, Murphy (Porter 83), Dempsey (Kenn 90), Last, O’Connor


Derry City: Doherty, McDermott, Karner, Vemmelund, Doherty; Schubert, Monaghan (Holden 86), McCormack, McNamee; Boyle (Daniels 70), Patterson


Referee: Mr Tomas Connolly (Dublin)