"I must have the worst strike rate for a forward in Derry City's history." - Paul McMullan

The Scotsman has been a revelation since joining the Candy Stripes from Dundee last summer but Derry fans have been made to wait patiently for the winger to find the back of the net.

Thirty five games in fact and given his undoubted attacking threat it certainly should've arrived much sooner than Monday night.

It was worth the wait, however, and his 65th minute strike from the edge of the Shelbourne box was seconds away from sending Ruaidhrí Higgins' troops top of the table for the first time since last March.

Sean Boyd's 90th minute equaliser cancelled it out and Shels maintained pole position in the race for the league title!

The former Celtic man was a constant threat against the Dubliners and was fully deserving of the man of the match accolade afterwards. And while he was delighted to finally get to celebrate a goal in the red and white Candy Stripes, he was left 'deflated' by that last gasp equaliser which silenced the home attendance.

"I think someone was saying I must have the worst strike rate for a forward in Derry's history," he laughed. "I saw the goalie was out and cut it back across the other side and thankfully it caught the corner and gave us all a wee lift. I thought it might've got us the three points.

"When you concede so late it's very frustrating. We had a plan and it was working for 89 minutes and they got the goal and it deflated you."

His workrate was impressive on the night and he earlier volleyed a long distance strike off the outside of the post but he was the coolest man on the pitch once it struck his laces.

"It was always going away so when it hit the post it was a big surprise but it was nice then to get off the mark and, to be honest, it's about time.

"It's been a while since I had the feeling of getting a goal. I'm just disappointed we didn't get the three points," added the laidback Scotsman.

Derry fans are beginning to see the benefits of having a full preseason behind him and McMullan reckons he's feeling fitter than when he first arrived at the club midway through last season. He's adapted to different positions this season in the opening 15 matches, playing on both wings and as a No.10 at times and he's thoroughly enjoying his football.

"I feel a lot fitter than I did last year. It's been a little chopping and changing for me. I've played a lot of different areas so trying to find that consistency has been a wee touch hard. I'm just trying to offer as much as I can wherever I'm asked to play. To be honest it doesn't really bother me where I'm asked to play."

City boss Higgins described McMullan as a problem-solver on the pitch and he hopes the exciting wideman will continue to be a goal threat."He's got a number of assists in those games and he's been a very, very good player for us. He can play in any of the three positions off the striker. He's got the quality in him. He's got the personality, and as I said after the game the other night, he's a very, very intelligent footballer, and he's a problem-solver on the pitch. He sees things, and he can identify issues and sort them out, which is great for a manager.

“It’s always nice to have these types of players on the pitch, so it's great for him to get his goal, and I would expect a few more to follow. He covered some ground the other night, outstanding.

"I think what I will say about the lads that are here, they've brought in to the city. I think it's a big, big thing when you represent this club that it's a unique place in many different ways, and they've bought into it. It's important when we bring players to the club that that's the case, and the lads that aren't from here have really brought on to the city.”