Michael Duffy's controversial late penalty saves Derry City against Dundalk

Michael Duffy and James McClean of Derry City after their side's draw. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.

Derry City 2 Dundalk 2

Captain Michael Duffy got Derry City massively out of jail when his controversial stoppage time penalty earned his side a share of the spoils against Dundalk.

The Oriel Park men rightfully were fuming that referee Declan Toland awarded the penalty for some pushing inside the box.

City were again lacklustre and never really got going but for a 15-minute spell in the second half. But in truth on another night former Brandywell favourite Danny Mullen could have gone home with the match ball with a bit more luck.

Tiernan Lynch suffered a massive selection headache with the news that goalkeeper Brian Maher, who was in line for his 100th consecutive league appearance for the club, is likely to be out for a number of weeks after breaking a bone in his wrist.

Maher’s absence meant youngster Shea Callister, who joined the club a few weeks ago, was between the sticks.

The Foylesiders also brought in Adam O’Reilly as last week’s goalscorer Alex Bannon dropped to the bench.

As for the visitors, who had their game at Shamrock Rovers postponed on the opening night, they had former City duo Rob Cornwall and Danny Mullen in their starting eleven.

Dundalk took the lead on 22 minutes as JR Wilson’s pass found Eoin Kenny on the edge of the box and the young striker’s sublime left footed curling strike was just out of Callister’s reach and found the keeper’s bottom right hand corner.

The City keeper was called into action just before the half-hour mark when Keith Buckley’s left wing cross found Mullen at the back post, but his powerful header was kept out by a full-stretch Callister.

The Brandywell men did level things from James McClean’s resulting corner, which picked out his brother Patrick and he rose unchallenged to head home from close range.

Soon after a fantastic flowing move by Derry ended with right-back Carl Winchester’s cross-cum-shot finding Josh Thomas virtually on the goal-line, but the striker’s shot was kept out by Kearns.

A quick throw-in down the right by Daryl Horgan released substitute Gbemi Arubi and with virtually his first touch the striker made no mistake, firing low across Callister and into his bottom right corner.

Another McClean free-kick on 74 minutes picked out Dipo Akinyemi, but the substitute’s first time header was superbly kept out by Kearns.

The woodwork came to Derry’s rescue on 82 minutes as Mullen’s curling strike from the edge of the box, which had Callister beaten, came crashing back off the post.

With minutes remaining Michael Duffy’s downward header from close range was easily saved by Kearns, after McClean’s left wing centre had picked out the City skipper at the back post.

In stoppage time Duffy’s free-kick, which had Kearns beaten, rattled the post. Then with the last kick of the game, Derry levelled things when the City skipper slotted home from the spot.

Derry City: Callister, Winchester, P McClean, Slevin, Fleming; O’Reilly, J McClean; Duffy, Clarke (Akinyemi 74), Markey; Thomas (Rylah 92).

Dundalk: Kearns, JR Wilson, Animasahun (Leonard 45), Cornwall, Burns; Buckley (Teahan 62), Dervin; McDaid (Arubi 62), Horgan, Kenny (T Wilson 83); Mullen.

Referee: Declan Toland.