Rovers 1 Derry City 1

Rovers held in Tolka...

The Hoops were desperate for a win going into tonights game but had to settle for a point despite a battling performance. Dessie Baker, Sean O'Connor and Alan Murphy started on the bench as Pat Scully rung the changes with Eoin Doyle starting up front alongside Padraig Amond. Doyle had the first effort on goal after 10 minutes but he shot over from just inside the area. Two minutes later a McGill header found Daragh Maguire and he slipped the ball into the path of Amond but his shot was parried away by the Derry 'keeper Doherty.

A long kick-out by Doherty almost put Farren in on goal after 15 minutes and Clive Delaney headed over the bar from a free-kick on 23 minutes. Barry Murphy was then called on to tip over a shot from the edge of the area. The game exploded in the 26th minute when Amond turned well and fired in a shot that was blocked by Hutton in the box and Referee Kelly immediately pointed to the spot. There was a lot of protests from the Derry players before Amond stepped up and kept his nerve to shoot past the Derry 'keeper.

The visitors responded and Price made a fine tackle on the edge of the area on the half-hour. Barry Murphy was quick off his line in the 40th minute to deny Sammon before Ger O'Brien played Rice in down the right but his cross was too deep. The final action of the half saw Barry Murphy saving a volley at the second attempt.

The second half was just three minutes old when a Tyrell free-kick went to the back post and Price volleyed the ball towards goal and Doherty could only push the ball away and Doyle pounced but unfortunately he couldn't direct the ball on goal from close range. The next 20 minutes saw the Hoops working hard, especially in midfield, to deny Derry any possession but eventually the visitors began to commit players forward and cause some problems.

Rice almost set up sub O'Connor for a shot on 75 minutes but a minute later Derry broke down the left and a cross into the box saw a shot loop over Barry Murphy and hit the cross-bar but Sammon was alert to the rebound and his header was deemed to have gone over the line by the Linesman despite Murphys valiant attempts to claw the ball away.

The Hoops regrouped and in the 80th minute sub Baker won a corner and after a good defensive header from Delaney, Daragh Maguires overhead kick went across goal. Barry Ferguson was on hand to get back and clear as Sammon found himself bearing down on goal in the 83rd minute. Aiden Price continued to clear everything that was thrown at him.

Rovers finished strongly and after Sean O'Connor was cynically taken down as he pushed forward the Hoops had another claim for a handball in the area when Alan Murphys shot looked like it was blocked by the hand of a Derry defender. Kevin McHugh then shot straight at Barry Murphy at the other end as the game finished at a high tempo.

Ger O'Brien got forward but shot wide after 88 minutes and two minutes into added-on time Ger O'Brien again found himself in an advanced position and this time his cross was met at the near post by Alan Murphy but a defender got across to block his effort. The resultant corner was cleared and the final whistle was blown.