St Patrick's Athletic 0 Derry City 0: St Patrick's Athletic caretaker boss Martin Russell appealed to Eamonn Collins to return to Richmond Park and resume his duties following this result at the Brandywell on Saturday night.

The former midfielder made it clear "everyone wanted Eamon to return" following his resignation on Thursday.

"We'll see what pans out over the next few days, but we want Eamonn to come back," said Russell. "Before the game we asked the players for commitment and to be totally fair to them, they gave us that.

From a Derry City viewpoint, the well documented Brandywell goal-drought continued. "We can't buy a goal at the moment and I don't know what I have to do to get one," declared Derry boss, Gavin Dykes.

"We hit the post after just 60 seconds, we continued to create chances but the failed to hit the target," he added.

"It's frustrating and it can get very annoying but I keep telling the players that as long as we continue to create, then I believe the goals will come.

"We had so many 'free' headers in set-piece situations but we failed to hit the target but I have to take comfort from the fact that we're solid at the back."

"We dominated the play, especially in the second half and while I can understand the feelings of our supporters, it's always very important to note that we didn't lose the match," said Dykes.

"Had we lost, I'd be totally gutted but I firmly believe that this team will eventually climb back up the table as we're certainly not as bad as our league position suggests."

Derry may have bossed the match in the second half but they paid dearly for their wastefulness in front of goal.

Paddy McLaughlin, Clive Delaney, Seán Hargan and Alan Murphy all wasted chances as St Patrick's appeared happy to settle for a share of the spoils.

And as the match drew to a close, St Patrick's striker Tony Bird brought the best out of Patrick Jennings with a shot from point-blank range while substitute Jimmi-Lee Jones drilled an angled effort narrowly wide when he really should have scored.

DERRY CITY: Jennings; Brennan, Delaney, McLaughlin, McCallion; McGlynn (Beckett, 82), Doherty, Byrne, Holt (Murphy, 75 mins); Hargan, Martyn.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Adamson; Quigley, Foley, Maguire, El Khebir; Fahey, Casey, Ndo, O'Keeffe; Dunne (Jones, 66 mins), Bird.

Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).