Valuable point in Brandywell
From www.rte.ie
Derry City 0-0 Galway United
Sunday, 29 July 2007
Derry City may have showed signs of tiredness following their European travels, but it was Galway United 'keeper, Gary Rogers, who kept the Candystripes at bay at the Brandywell.
In fact, Derry's failure to score in their last four games will certainly concern team boss, John Robertson.
While the Scot will have no complaints at the effort put in, the lack of a cutting edge in the final third will have brought disappointment.
While it was the home side who may have dominated the scoring chances, it was Galway who really should have broken the deadlock having been awarded a 27th minute penalty.
Former City player, Alan Murphy, played the pacey Derek O'Brien in behind the home back four and when Eddie McCallion made a lunge, O'Brien was brought crashing down to earth.
Up stepped Murphy, but his spotkick was ballooned recklessly over the crossbar and the Brandywell faithful breathed a sigh of relief.
Mark Farren and Paddy McCourt both had chances to break the deadlock, while Ken Oman's low drive was superbly blocked by Rogers in the 35th minute.
Galway's Derek Glynn did well to work his way in behind the home defence in the 43rd minute but his low centre across the face of goal failed to find the advancing Barry Moran.
And one minute later the Candystripes' best chance of opening the scoring fell to new striker Sammy Morrow, whose tame effort was easily dealt with by Rogers from close range after McCourt's superb cut-back in the 44th minute.
Rogers produced a top drawer save in the 55th minute - Sean Hargan played an incisive pass perfectly into the path of Farren and while the striker launched a powerful shot at the target, the Galway 'keeper dived full-stretch to divert the ball wide at the expense of a corner.
The 'keeper again kept Galway in the game when saving a Higgins free in the 66th minute and three minutes later Rogers saved the visitors again when tipping a Ciaran Martyn header over his crossbar.
With the game heading towards a scoreless draw, Morrow headed the ball wide of the target following a Higgins free in the 90th minute.
Derry City: Jennings; McCallion, Oman, Hutton, Hargan; McCourt, Higgins, Martyn, Brennan (McGlynn, 61 mins.); Farren (Hynes, 78), Morrow.
Galway United: Rogers; Nootimer, Charles, Fitzgerald, Keane; Fagan, Lester, Murphy (Foley, 79), O'Brien; Glynn, Moran (Faherty, 75).
Referee: Mr. Richie Winters (Dublin).
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