Uzokwe rescues Derry at the death

Derry City 2 Dundalk 2

Colchester United loanee, Junior Uzokwe, was hailed a hero at the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium, the tricky winger snatching maximum points away from Dundalk when netting a 94th minute equaliser for Derry City.

The champion had moved into a 2-1 lead in the 91st minute after having fallen behind to a David Parkhouse opening goal four minutes before the break.

And when Georgie Kelly equalised in the 57th minute, Derry hearts began to drop.

Not surprisingly, the Brandywell began to empty when substitute, Pat Hoban headed home a Michael Kelly corner one minute into added time, but cometh the hour, cometh the man.

In fact, it was a similar situation in May at Oriel Park when these sides shared the spoils on the same scoreline.

While the Candystripes took the lead, it was a case of Lilywhites being stunned yet again having moved into the driving seat in the 91st minute.

Amazingly, Derry’s never say die attitude proved to be prominent yet again when Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, pounced on a Jamie McDonagh corner to share the spoils in the final minute of added time.

Dundalk signalled their intentions when starting on the front foot, prepared to force the issue during the early stages, and take the initiative away from the home side.

And that tactic saw the champions pen the home lot into their own half during the opening 10 minutes, Derry having to defend in numbers.

Georgie Kelly headed a corner-kick straight into the hands of Peter Cherrie before Patrick McEleney let fly with one of his trademark efforts from 25 yards, the ball dipping over the crossbar.

Derry, however, finally settled and when Junior failed to make contact with a Darren McCauley centre and Dundalk breathed a sigh of relief.

McCauley, making his Derry debut, did well again minutes later when another low cross into the danger area found David Parkhouse but his shot was blocked by a defender.

In the 25th minute Jamie McDonagh broke on the right and his teasing cross saw keeper, Gary Rodgers did well to palm the ball clear of Junior and, indeed, get down low to block another shot from the advancing Sloggett.

Derry settled and appeared content to hit on the break, but both teams continued to cancel each other out during what was a scoreless, yet, hugely entertaining opening period.

With four minutes remaining of the first half, the commitment and enthusiasm of Junior to regain possession having lost it, reaped handsome dividends.

The ball had been played back to Chris Shiels who appeared to dwell too with his clearance and the alert Parkhouse challenged for possession before guiding the ball wide of Rodgers, to the delight of the home faithful.

That goal will have altered Declan Devine’s half-time time talk and the home side appeared to have dropped back during the early stages of the second period.

In fact, in the 50th minute Dundalk’s lively left winger, Michael Duffy, headed the ball into the Derry net but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside.

However, Dundalk’s determination was rewarded in the 57th minute when striker Georgie Kelly steered Duffy’s low cross beyond the reach of Cherrie.

Indeed, Shiels made amends for his first half error when winning possession in midfield before driving forward to set Duffy on his way.

The goal certainly saw Dundalk grew in confidence and a double substitution in the 75th minute, with both Patrick Hoban and Jamie McGrath entering the fray at the expense of Kelly and Benson, told its own story.

And McGrath made an immediate impact, his header, following a superb run and cross from Sean Gannon, touched over the bar by keeper, Cherrie.

As the game entered four minutes of added time, Hoban, so often the destroyer of Derry in previous seasons, struck yet again when he rose majestically to meet Duffy’s corner and head the ball firmly home.

Delighted with the late turnaround, Dundalk’s tails were up as the Brandywell began to empty but, cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Derry won a 94th minute corner and when McDonagh again floated over a dangerous cross Junior rose to the challenge and while his header may well have been deflected, the ball crashed into the Dundalk net.

DERRY CITY: Cherrie; McDonagh, Toal, Gilchrist, Coll; Sloggett, Harkin; Ogedi-Uzokwe, McNamee (Bruna, 83), McCauley (Cole,65); Parkhouse (Davis, 77).

DUNDALK: Rodgers; Gannon, Boyle, Cleary, Jarvis; Shiels; Mountney (D. Kelly, 80) Benson (McGrath, 75), Duffy; McEleney, G. Kelly (Hoban, 75).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).