Shelbourne and Derry City were forced to share the spoils in a tense battle at a wet Tolka Park with the game eventually springing to life in the second half
With their new owner, Acun Ilicali, being presented before the game and seemingly hitting it off with the Reds faithful following a positive introduction to the media earlier in the day, there was a renewed sense of optimism around Tolka Park.
On the pitch, it was the visitors who looked to dominate possession from the off in a hectic opening period, but it was the home side who carried the bigger goal threat.
Jack Moylan picked up the ball midway inside the Derry half before dropping the shoulder and letting fly with a powerful strike that left Brian Maher flat footed, but agonizingly for the 21-year-old, narrowly missed the target.
Moments later the tenacious Mark Coyle won the ball high up before sliding in Moylan whose low shot, that looked destined for the bottom corner, was bravely blocked.
The FAI Cup holders struggled to get their more creative players involved against a well-organised Shels rearguard but began to force the issue just after the half hour mark with a spate of chances in quick succession.
Firstly, Jamie McGonigle let fly from 25-yards out, forcing Kearns to collect at the second attempt, before Sadou Diallo arrowed a shot from the edge of the area that forced the busy Kearns into an acrobatic stop.
The visitors looked threatening from set pieces, and at the start of the second period went close again minutes into the second half. With the ball falling kindly to Cameron Dummigan at the back post but was eventually snuffed out.
But the pace of Moylan was causing the Derry defence all sorts of problems and got in behind before seeing his dinked effort well smothered by the onrushing Maher.
The home side eventually broke the deadlock 12 minutes into the second half with a set-piece of their own, which has often been their Achilles heel this season.
Substitute Sean Boyd had the freedom of the penalty area to head home from Evan Caffrey's pin-point delivery to send the home fans wild.
Boyd and Moylan linked up well again and, following an intricate one-two at the edge of the area, the latter forced Maher into a fantastic fingertip save.
The visitors showed their quality getting back on level terms when left back Ben Doherty hit an unstoppable strike into the near top corner giving Kearns no chance such was the power on the shot.
Having just equalised the visitors found themselves down to 10-men when Adam O’Reilly received a straight red card for what looked like a late elbow on Kameron Ledwidge as the left back broke forward, although it looked as if both players slipped on the slick surface.
Shels failed to make their man advantage pay as the Derry City backline stayed strong to emerge with a big point having been behind but will see it as an opportunity missed to close the gap further on Shamrock Rovers who fell to defeat up in Oriel Park
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, JR Wilson, Andrew Quinn, Shane Griffin (Paddy Barrett, 22’) Gavin Molloy, Tyreke Wilson (Kameron Ledwidge, 68’), JJ Lunney, Mark Coyle (Jad Hakiki, 84’), Evan Caffrey, Shane Farrell (Sean Boyd, 45’), Jack Moylan
Subs not used: Daithí Folan, Conor Kane, Luke Byrne, Gbemi Arubi, David Toure
Derry City: Brian Maher, Cameron Dummigan (Mark Connolly, 74’) Shane McEleney, Cameron McJannett, Ben Doherty, Ronan Boyce, Sadou Diallo, Adam O’Reilly, Brandon Kavanagh, Jordan McEneff (Cian Kavanagh, 63’), Jamie McGonigle (Ciaran Coll, 84’)
Subs not used: Tadgh Ryan, Tiernan McGinty, Sean Patton, Callum McCay
