Derry City moved into third place in the League of Ireland Premier Division after an impressive 3-0 home over Drogheda United at the Brandywell.
Jordan McEneff fired into the bottom corner to give City a 41st minute lead before the points were wrapped up with two late goals.
Jamie McGonigle slotted home before Michael Duffy added the third with a composed finish.
While Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men deserved the win, they had Brian Maher to thank, as the goal keeper made a superb save to deny Adam Foley, when the game was still scoreless.
Drogheda should have broken the deadlock on 12 minutes as Kyle Robinson got in behind the City defence, before his cut-back into the six yard box found an unmarked Adam Foley, but the ex-Finn Harps man’s close range shot was superbly kept out by Brian Maher’s left boot.
On 30 minutes a lovely defensive splitting pass by Brandon Kavanagh released Michael Duffy, his left wing cut-back found Adam O’Reilly at the end of the box, but the midfielder’s shot took a deflection on its way over the crossbar.
Derry took the lead on 41 minutes as danger man Duffy broke clear down the left before picking out Jordan McEneff on the edge of the box, the midfielder steadied himself before blasting low into Andrew Wogan’s bottom right hand corner.
The visitors missed a glorious chance to level things on 51 minutes as Dayle Rooney’s teasing left wing cross found Robinson, but the big striker’s close range header was well off target.
Derry went close to doubling their lead on 64 minutes but substitute Paul McMullan saw his low drive from the edge of the box, which had goalkeeper Wogan worried, flew inches wide.
With their tails up the home side were unlucky not to score a second minutes later this time Ciaran Coll’s 20 pile driver was parried away by Wogan, after McMullan’s lovely cross had picked out the full-back on the edge of the box.
Derry should have netted a second on 78 minutes as Duffy played in Jamie McGonigle, but the substitute’s shot from the left hand side of the box was well saved by Wogan.
City wrapped the points up on 85 minutes as Patching’s sublime flick released McGonigle and this time the striker made no mistake, firing low past Wogan from the right hand edge of the six yard box, slotting the ball into the opposite bottom corner.
Four minutes later Derry added a third as McMullan’s defensive splitting pass released Duffy, who calmly slotted the ball past the out-rushing Wogan, to cap a fine individual performance.
In stoppage time Duffy went close again, but his shot from 12 yards, after Patching’s clever dummy had created the chance, was straight at Wogan.
Derry City: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce, Shane McEleney (Mark Connolly 83), Cameron McJannet, Ciaran Coll; Sadou Diallo (Patrick McEleney 58), Adam O’Reilly, Jordan McEneff (Will Patching 58); Brandon Kavanagh (Paul McMullan 58), Daniel Mullen (Jamie McGonigle 71), Michael Duffy.
Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan, Conor Kane, Conor Keeley, Jamie Egan, Luke Heeney; yan Brennan, Gary Deegan; Dayle Rooney, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis 83), Adam Foley (Aaron McNally 68); Kyle Robinson (Darragh Noone 57).
Referee: Mr Eoghan O’Shea (Dublin).
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