After successive defeats to Dublin teams, this trip to the capital was an improvement on the scoreboard at least but it will do little to lighten the mood around the under-pressure Tiernan Lynch and his side.
Touted as title challengers in pre-season, the Candystripes still look like a team who are figuring themselves out. Neither they nor St Pat’s could break the deadlock here but it was the hosts who looked far more likely to do so.
Stephen Kenny’s side played with tempo, with an edge and with the confidence of a side who were enjoying their four-match winning streak. Although Derry denied them a fifth win on the bounce, they still remain in second and three points off the summit.
For the visitors, it’s now one point from their last three outings, hardly title-winning form, as Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson was among the 4,502-strong crowd at Richmond Park.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson at Richmond Park. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Another sub-plot was the Saints boss facing James McClean for the first time since the Derry native’s return to the league. The Ireland centurion won his final cap under Kenny in late 2023, but later hit out at Kenny having been unhappy at how his international career ended under him, admitting it left a “sour taste” as he was left out of the squad in the previous month before being brought back for his farewell game.
Back in the present, Derry enjoyed more of the ball in the opening stages without threatening. Buoyed by their red-hot form, the hosts soon found their rhythm with Aidan Keena, who came in for the injured Kian Leavy, and Barry Baggley both going close.
Derry, who retained the back-three set-up that Lynch switched to last Friday, were struggling to contain the attacking threat being posed.
Derry City’s James McClean in action during the SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash with St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
League of Ireland Review Show – Monday, March 16
Kenny and the home support were left furious 10 minutes after the restart when St Pat’s were denied a big penalty shout. A clever dink over the top by Keena allowed Romal Palmer a run through on goal but was taken down inside the box by Patrick McClean. Replays suggested it was a 50/50 call with both players having a nibble.
Darragh Nugent and James Brown soon went close for Inchicore side before crazy scenes developed with 20 minutes left. After a quadruple Derry change, they were found to have 12 players on the pitch. Darragh Markey who should have come off and claimed he never saw his number go up, but was booked anyway. Michael Duffy came off too, with some visitors in the press box in disbelief to see February Player of the Month hooked.
The Saints looked far more likely to find a late winner but having come out the wrong side of a late goalmouth scramble, Derry did enough to survive and bring a point home.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Anang; Redmond, Hoare, Turner; Brown, Baggley, Nugent , McClelland (Breslin 79); Palmer; Edmondson (Nzingo 65), Keena (Mata 65).
DERRY CITY: Beach; Bannon, Stott, P McClean; Cotter (Barr 72), Olayinka, J McClean, Fleming; Markey (Clarke 73), Duffy (O’Reilly 72); Akinyemi (Thomas 72).
REF: R Harvey.