Endeavour was admirable but genuine skill was lacking as the Connacht derby between Galway United and Sligo Rovers ended without a goal by the Corrib.
Both Galway and Sligo will feel they could have won a match of few chances, of which United had more, with neither goalkeeper having much to do in the heat of May in the west.
With United's 14 games before this having featured 15 goals in all, this was always liable to be cagey – but it was still an absorbing derby game played to a lively audience.
There was a cracking atmosphere in Eamonn Deacy Park, United riding high in fourth and Rovers fresh from a 1-0 win over St Patrick's Athletic that proved to be Jon Daly's last game as manager. Galway were heavy favourites but were lucky not to fall behind within three minutes.
Brendan Clarke has proven to be one of John Caulfield's best signings and he was off his line with haste to smother an effort by Stefan Radosavljević after he was nicely put in by Max Mata.
However, the home side had much the better of a disjointed opening period thereafter. Ed McCarthy's cross nearly found an opener from the head of defender Killian Brouder, before Patrick Hickey headed wide from a speculative cross from Cameroon native Jeannot Esua.
The Chicago-born Hickey, one of the tallest players in the league, had a sparkling year with Athlone last year, recording the second-most assists in the First Division. His rasping drive kept Ed McGinty, who was little worked in the first half, awake; just before the interval, Hickey's header was parried out for a corner by McGinty. It came to nothing, which summed up the opening 45.
In defence of the players, the setting sun made visibility difficult; regardless, this was a hard watch. United have become really difficult to beat but fans wondered at the interval: can they find a way to convert one point to three in cagey games such as this?
Luck deserted United two minutes into the second half. David Hurley had ample time down the left and from his cross McGinty missed his punch, instead flooring Hickey; it seemed a penalty but none was given and, with the goal open, Stephen Walsh blazed over. It would be Hickey's last involvement.
Suddenly we had a ball game and the tidy Connor Malley headed narrowly over from a fizzed-in corner from Radosavljević.
Mo Nugent, who replaced Hickey, broke from a Sligo corner and pinged in a smashing ball for Walsh, who hooked over on the hour mark.
What was developing into an absorbing clash had the punters riveted again. Killian Brouder had a hold of Mata in the box; in defence of the Kiwi, he stayed on his feet.
Rovers had by far the better of the game's third quarter, without creating much, and United were finding it really demanding in the engine room.
Nugent was the United hero Monday in Dalymount and, from McCarthy's long throw, his header bounced off the top of the bar with 15 minutes to go. Though United's subs made a major impression, McGinty was equal to all thereafter, with Leo Gaxha feeding Wassim Aouachria at the death but the Scot saved well.
There was still time for United old boy Wilson Waweru to very nearly slot home with the last attack after a sublime Malley pass but United defenders reached the ball before it could cross the line. A frantic finish to an even game.
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Esua, Robert Slevin, Killian Brouder, Al Amin Kazeem (Wassim Aouachria 86); David Hurley, Conor McCormack; Aodh Dervin (Leon Gaxha 57), Patrick Hickey (Maurice Nugent 57), Ed McCarthy (Conor O'Keeffe 78); Stephen Walsh (Francely Lomboto 78)
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson, Oliver Denham, Charlie Wiggett, Reece Hutchinson; Fabrice Hartmann (Rein Smit 73), Connor Malley, Niall Morahan, Stefan Radosavlevic (Owen Elding 60); Ellis Chapman; Max Mata (Wilson Waweru 63)
Referee: Damien McGrath
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