Two see red as Shamrock Rovers and Derry play out stalemate

Derry were looking for their first win over Rovers in two years. 

SEEING RED: Referee Paul McLaughlin sends off Edward McGinty of Rovers. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 0 Derry City 0

10-men title hopefuls Shamrock Rovers and Derry City couldn't be separated in a dramatic encounter, as 6,073 braved a chilly south Dublin night with little to warm the cockles in terms of clear goal scoring chances.

Both sides saw themselves reduced to 10-men in the first half with Ed McGinty and Danny Mullen being sent off in dramatic fashion.

There was also no repeat of the last time Tiernan Lynch faced off against Stephen Bradley when his former club, Larne, where humbled 4-1 win in the Europa Conference League with the 49-year old Derry boss organising his side brilliantly to stop the carousel of Rovers midfielders playing through the lines in the opening exchanges.

And having braved the gauntlet of the booing mascots as they emerged for their warm-up, the undeterred visitors earned a massive break midway through the first half when Paul McMullen bent a lovely through ball in behind the Rovers rearguard for Danny Mullen to try latch on to.

Ed McGinty raced out of his goal to meet the front man but seemed to get his bearings all wrong, both dropping down and handling the ball just outside the area and bundling into the Scottish forward.

Referee Paul McLoughlin was left with no option but to give McGinty his marching orders much to the ire of the home fans.

From the resulting free-kick, Duffy had a couple of bites if the cherry seeing his thunderous efforts bravely blocked.

The international break probably came at the wrong time for Stephen Bradley’s side who were gathering momentum with two wins on the trot and to their credit continued to carry a threat through the classy Graham Burke. 

And the drama-filled first half wasn't done yet as just minutes before the break it was 10-men a piece when Danny Mullen’s night was harshly cut short. Already on a yellow card from an earlier challenge on Roberto Lopes, Mullen then bundled into the back of Aaron Greene as the Rovers forward looked to begin a breakaway inside his own half, and received a second yellow for his troubles.

Missing the goal scoring threat of Pat Hoban, the Candystripes had been looking to get their first win over Rovers since March 2023 and six minutes after the restart almost took the lead.

Liam Boyce picked up the ball in the pocket and looked to stride forward before being hauled down giving Duffy another set piece. Although probably more central than he would like, the Derry dangerman forced Leon Pohls into a fantastic low save down to his right to keep it level.

As the game wore on the extra space made for an end-to end encounter with both sides did try to grab a winner. Following some head-tennis in the hosts box, Ronan Boyce was eventually teed up by Duffy’s header but failed to hit the target with a sweetly struck volley before Dan Cleary had a header cleared off the line.

But try as they might, neither side could force that all elusive breakthrough with both sides being forced to share the spoils.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Honohan, Lopes, Cleary; Grant (Byrne, 46’), Watts (Ozhianvuna, 86’), Healy, McEneff, O’Sullivan; Burke (Noonan, 86’), Greene (Gaffney, 58’) 

DERRY CITY: Maher; Cann, Connolly (Patton, 46’), Holt; Boyce, O’Reilly, Winchester (Benson, 76’), Doherty (Todd, 58’); Duffy, McMullen (Boyce, 46’); Mullen

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)