Derry City 1-1 Saints

03.08.2010

St Mirren ended their tour of Northern Ireland this evening with a 1-1 draw against Derry City at the Brandywell Stadium.

The early exchanges were equally shared as both sides knocked the ball about well but it was Saints who took an early lead thanks to Craig Dargo who continued his goal-a-game for the tour.

The ball was played through the middle which the wee Saints striker chased then latched on to before pulling off a fine finish by lobbing the ball over Derry keeper, Eugene Ferry on its way into the back of the net.

After that the home side took the upper hand but Paul Gallacher was in fine form as he blocked a string of chances from the Derry City forward line. Saints were perhaps fortunate to still be ahead by half-time.

The second half turned out to be a pretty low key affair but Derry did manage to pull level on the 64th minute.

A free-kick from 25 yards out was whipped into the St Mirren penalty area where it was headed towards goal by Michael McCrudden. Gallacher made a really good block but the ball broke out to Danny Lafferty who thumped it into the back of the net.

Paul McGowan had a chance to win the game for Saints with 10 minutes remaining when he got into the area to meet a cross from the left but he pulled his shot just wide of the post.

So that was the end of Saints tour which saw them win a game, lose one and draw the other but more importantly they have had five days away together to gel as a squad. A process that will hopefully bear fruit when the real games come along.

Derry City: Ferry, McEleney, Devlin (McBride 69), McCauley, McDaid (McCarron 69), Henry, Sharkey, Parkhouse, Cassidy, McCrudden (Heaney 79), Lafferty.

St Mirren: Gallacher, van Zanten, Travner, McGregor, Potter, Murray, McQuade, McGowan, Wardlaw (trialist 73), Dargo (Lynch 70), Brady (Love 73).

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