Derry City left frustrated against Shelbourne at the Brandywell

Derry City 1

Shelbourne 1

Adam O'Reilly's fourth goal in four games was not enough for Derry City on a night of frustration at the Brandywell. 

Tiernan Lynch's side have now slipped back down to third place as the race for European football took another turn, with Bohemians defeating Waterford at Dalymount.

A poor game didn’t come to life until five minutes before the break when Derry City took the lead in spectacular circumstances. Shelbourne goalkeeper Wessel Speel was completely caught off guard as Dipi Akinyemi’s pass spun into the path of Adam O’Reilly, who got in front of Sam Bone to send a clever chip spun over the goalkeeper’s head, with the midfielder racing away to celebrate his fourth goal in four games. It was also the first time in six league games that Tiernan Lynch’s side had taken the lead.

That was the spark the game needed as the last five minutes of the first half exploded into life; former City player Daniel Kely firing over unmarked at the back post after good work from Ademipo Odubeko.

It took defending of heroic proportions to deny Shelbourne an equaliser shortly afterwards. Odubeko’s overhead pass sent Ali Coote racing away on goal, and although Brian Maher did well to block his first effort, the Shels man collected the rebound and was for tapping the ball into the empty net, only for Sam Todd to throw himself at the ball out of nowhere, blocking the ball on the line. The danger still wasn’t over with Maher then recovering to deny Kelly on the line, a combined defensive effort which was celebrated like a goal by the home supporters.

There was still time for a setback for Derry City as striker Dipo Akinyemi pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury as he chased after the ball down the left wing. The striker did not return for the second half.

Derry City’s lead lasted just 10 minutes into the second half as Shelbourne cut through their defence for a superb equaliser. Kerr McInroy and Kelly combined with a slick one-two in the area, and although Maher did well to save McInroy’s close-range effort, he could do nothing to prevent Odubeko’s follow-up. That goal meant that Derry City have kept just one clean sheet in all competitions in ten games since July.

It was Shelbourne who looked more likely to gran a winner after that with Odubeko dragging a shot wide when well positioned, 18 yards from goal, and the impressive McInroy slicing an effort past the upright with Maher in his sights.

The longer the game went on, the less a Derry goal looked likely, and with Lynch’s options limited from the bench, the final minutes drifted by uneventfully, very much an anticlimax after the excitement of Dalymount last week.

Derry City now travel to Drogheda United next week with just five league games left to secure that European place.

Derry City: Maher, O'Reilly, Bannon (Connolly 76’), Stoff, Todd, Fleming; (Whyte 64’), Diallo; Benson (Dummigan 76’), Duffy; Akinyemi (Mullen HT’).

Shelbourne: Speel, Norris, Barrett, Bone, Mbeng; Lunney (Henry-Francis 66’), McInroy (Coyle 85’), Coote (Boyd 66’); Wood, Odubeko (Martin 85’), Kelly (Caffrey 76’).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).