Derry City secured second place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division after a convincing victory 3-0 win over St Pat’s Athletic at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Friday evening (kick off 7.45 pm).
Goals from Brandon Kavanagh, Will Patching and Jordan McEneff sealed the victory over the Saints, who in truth were going through the motions ahead of next week’s FAI Cup final, where they will face Bohemians, at the Aviva Stadium.
City should have taken the lead after just 80 seconds as Paul McMullan’s right wing cross to the back post found Mark Connolly, but the big centre-back headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
The Candystripes took the lead on 12 minutes as Patching’s right wing centre was flicked on at the near post by Cameron McJannet and the alert Kavanagh chested the ball home from close range.
Derry scored a stunning second goal on 26 minutes as Patching fired home left footed from 20 yards, after a fantastic flowing passing move by Kavanagh and Ben Doherty created the opening.
Saints keeper Dean Lyness, who could have done better for Patching’s goal, did well moments later to keep out Kavanagh’s curling left wing free-kick.
A fantastic passing move by City on 45 minutes ended with McMullan’s cut-back finding and unmarked Michael Duffy, but the Derry man side footed wide with the goal at his mercy.
The Saints made a double change at the break with David Norman and Thijs Timmermans replacing Anthony Breslin and Joe Redmond and the changes nearly worked but Brian Maher did well to parry away Jason McClelland’s stinging drive.
Derry should have netted a third on 57 minutes as Patching inch perfect centre across the six yard box found an unmarked Duffy, but he somehow side footed over the bar from virtually on the goal-line.
On 69 minutes McMullan’s clever pass found Patching inside the box, but the midfielder’s side footed strike from 10 yards was tipped away by a diving Lyness. Soon after Saint’s full-back Sam Curtis broke down the right before seeing his cross pick out Thomas Lonergan, but the substitute’s header was straight at Maher.
Derry added a third on 87 minutes as McEneff netted his eighth goal of the season, making no mistake from 20 yards, firing low into the bottom left hand corner.
Right at the death Lyness did well to deny McEneff, after the midfielder had broke in behind the Saints defence, his close range shot was saved by the keeper.
Derry City: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce, Mark Connolly, Cameron McJannet (Sam Todd 88), Ben Doherty; Cameron Dummigan, Patrick McEleney (Evan McLaughlin 88), Will Patching; Paul McMullan (Luke O’Donnell 88), Michael Duffy (Daniel Mullen 79), Brandon Kavanagh (Jordan McEneff 79).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Dean Lyness, Anthony Breslin (David Norman HT), Joe Redmond (Thijs Timmermans HT), Chris Forrester (Anthony Dodd 83), Jason McClelland, Conor Carty (Thomas Lonergan 67), Ben McCormack, Alex Nolan, Jake Mulraney (Mason Melia 71), Sam Curtis, John-Alan McGrath.
Referee: Mr Robert Harvey (Dublin).
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