Derry City denied win at Shamrock Rovers by late Markus Poom equaliser

Shamrock Rovers 2

Derry City 2

Derry City came so close to a famous win at Shamrock Rovers, only to be denied by an injury time Markus Poom header at Tallaght.

Goals from Pat Hoban and Danny Mullen put City on course for a second comeback win in four days, but Poom levelled the game on 92 minutes to save his team from defeat.

Rovers remain without a win after three games, while Derry remain undefeated after four games, but this was a missed opportunity for the visitors given the circumstances late in the game. 

In an entertaining first half, Derry City should have scored with their first corner of the game as they cut through Rovers, but Cameron McJannet couldn’t finish just yards from goal, the City captain directing it straight at Leon Pohls.

Another good chance came and went for Derry on 25 minutes when Adam O’Reilly’s brilliant curling pass from wide on the right found Michael Duffy coming at the back post, but the winger was unable to get enough power on his shot and Pohls again saved easily.

Rovers’ goalkeeper Pohls was a very relieved man just five minutes into the second half, as he came to collect a Paul McMullan cross but spilled the ball into the path of Duffy who could open scoop the ball over the bar with the goal gaping.

But the home side took the lead just before the hour mark when Jordan McEneff lost possession and Burke picked out the run of Darragh Burns in behind Ben Doherty, allowing the winger to fire the ball between the legs of Brian Maher to give his team the advantage.

Derry came so close to equalising on 70 minutes when Ben Doherty brilliantly won the ball from Burns on the left wing and he picked out Duffy at the near post, but his effort deflected onto the crossbar with Pohls beaten.

But Derry didn’t have long to wait to level. A scramble in the Rovers area saw McJannet win the ball whilst grounded and it was collected by Hoban, who went down under a challenge from Burns and referee MacGraith immediately pointed to the penalty spot. With Derry’s regular penalty taker Patching watching from the stands, Hoban took responsibility and sent Pohls the wrong way to make it 1-1 with his third goal of the season.

Derry then stunned Tallaght by turning it around completely, taking the lead on 84 minutes. Paul McMullan’s inswinging corner caused chaos for Rovers goalkeeper Pohls, who was all at sea as substitute Danny Mullen bundled the ball over the line for his second goal in four days.

But Rovers saved themselves in added time as Burns deep cross was met by Markus Poom, who rose above Ciaran Coll to send a header past Maher from close range.

Teams

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls, Honohan, Grace, Cleary, Watts, Greene (Kenny 63’), Burke (Lopes 88’), O’Neill, Poom, Gaffney, Burns.

Derry City: Maher, Boyce (Kelly 65’), S McEleney, Connolly, McJannet, Doherty, O’Reilly, McEneff (Mullen 78’), McMullan, Duffy (Todd 78’), Hoban (Coll 89’).

Referee: Damien MacGraith