League Report: Sligo Rovers 0 - 0 Derry City
Jamie McGonigle and Co couldn't find a goal against Sligo Rovers as Shamrock Rovers take the title Credit: John-Paul McGinley (ETPhotos)
Derry City gifted Shamrock Rovers their third consecutive league title after drawing 0-0 with Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds on Monday night.
Ruaidhri Higgins made five changes to his side that drew 1-1 with fellow cup finalists Shelbourne on Friday night. The visitors last league defeat came all the way back in May against their hosts.
That particular fixture was John Russell’s first in charge of the Bit O’Red, with the former Sligo Rovers midfielder making one change to the side that drew 3-3 with Dundalk in a colourful fixture on Friday.
The Candystripes started the game well, with plenty of opportunities gifted to them by Sligo to get the ball into the box with multiple free-kicks awarded throughout the half.
That being said, Rovers’ Aidan Keena was the livelier of the pack with several chances to get close to goal. Keena hit the ball wide after a low shot on the ten-minute mark, producing the home sides’ first opportunity of the game.
Robbie Burton then came close after going through on goal but the Dinamo Zagreb loanee was easily dispossessed to keep the score line level.
The possession was quite evenly split throughout the half with Derry just pipping the home team in being the more dominant side.
Derry’s Brian Maher had a particularly busy few moments around the 30-minute mark when Adam McDonnell hit a direct free-kick, forcing the goalkeeper to pull out a save with the rebounded ball falling to Keena - Maher doing a fantastic job of keeping both attempts out of danger.
There were penalty appeals shortly before the end of the half when Sligo’s Nando Pijnaker brought down Mark Connolly in the box, but the referee waved away the protests from the Bit O’Red.
Sligo, under no pressure, began to push the visitors more in the second half. Will Patching had a decent attempt on goal early on but the hard-hit shot flew over the bar. The former Dundalk midfielder scored a blistering free kick in the previous meeting between the two sides to give Derry the three points.
The opening twenty minutes of the second period was very stop-start with both sides producing endless fouls to slow down the pace of the game.
The closest chance of the half came for Derry on the 65-minute mark when substitute Jamie McGonigle headed the ball powerfully towards goal but Brush got his hands to it in time to deny the striker a chance to take the lead.
The former Coleraine forward, who bagged a hattrick against UCD earlier in the season, came close again deeper into the half when he had plenty of space to carry the ball forward, ultimately deciding to take a shot from distance to no avail.
Sligo had a fantastic chance to take all three points with seconds to go, when substitute Max Mata found himself unmarked and facing an open goal but poked it wide to end what was a very muted fixture with little opportunity.
Derry will march on to the Aviva Stadium on 13 November in an attempt to bring home the FAI Cup for the first time since 2012. The Candystripes will be disappointed with the result however their fantastic run of form this season will guarantee them a place in Europe next year.
The seven point gap with two games to go, including a battle with Shamrock Rovers next Sunday evening in Tallaght, leaves The Hoops celebrating their third league title in a row.
Sligo look set to battle it out with Bohemians to retain fifth position. With two games to go, Bohs are currently sitting in sixth, three points below Sligo.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Lewis Banks, Shane Blaney (Éanna Clancy 78), Patrick Kirk, Nando Pijnaker; Kailin Barlow (Karl O'Sullivan 46), Robbie Burton (Greg Bolger 72), William Fitzgerald, Frank Liivak (Max Mata 57), Adam McDonnell; Aidan Keena.Subs not used: Conor Walsh, Cameron Evans, Colm Horgan, Seamas Keogh, Cillian Heaney.
Booked: Kailin Barlow (30), Shane Blaney (55)
Sent off: None
Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce (Daniel Lafferty 80), Ciaran Coll (Patrick McEleney 80), Mark Connolly, Cameron McJannet; Sadou Diallo, Cameron Dummigan, Will Patching (Jordan McEneff 80), Joe Thomson (Jamie McGonigle 63); Ryan Graydon, Cian Kavanagh (Michael Duffy 63).Subs not used: Jack Lemoignan, Shane McEleney, Brandon Kavanagh, James Akintunde.
Booked: Cameron McJannet (80) ,Mark Connolly (86) Michael Duffy (89)
Sent off: None
Referee: Neil Doyle
extratime.com Player of the Match: Richard Brush (Sligo Rovers)
