League of Ireland Premier Division: Derry City 7 UCD 1
DERRY City returned to winning ways in empathic style, as they hammered UCD, at a packed Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
Andy Myler's side really could have got back on the bus at half-time as they game was over, as City raced into a 5-0 lead at the break, with striker Jamie McGonigle back to his goalscoring best. The Dungiven man completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, but in truth he should have had at least two match balls for his evening's work.
City broke the deadlock on 14 minutes as Patrick McEleney's clever pass found Will Patching inside the box, he the English man chested the ball down, before drilling home from close range. The Candystripes scored their second on 22 minutes as Cameron Dummigan's tremendous raking pass found Jamie McGonigle and the striker calmly controlled the ball away from the out-rushing Students keeper Lorcan Healy, before slipping the ball home.
McGonigle took just just two minutes to score his sixth goal of the campaign, making no mistake after cutting in from the left, he blasted low into the Healy's bottom left hand corner. Derry incredibly added a fourth just after the half-hour mark as Patching's left wing cross found Cameron McJannet at the near post and the left-back powerfully headed home.
The Dubliners' night went from bad to worse just before the break as Dummigan's long range drive, somehow caught out keeper Healy and ended up in the net. Derry were inches away from scoring a sixth on 53 minute as Patrick McEleney's delightful pass found McGonigle, but the striker's left footed shot whistled just wide.
It didn't take the home side too long for that sixth goal as Patching's left wing cross moments later found an unmarked Ronan Boyce and he made no mistake heading home from close range. A superb pass by Patrick McEleney released McGonigle, who showed good strength before firing high into the net from 10 yards.
Maher will be disappointed he didn't keep a clean-sheet as the Students scored a consolation goal through substitute Alex Nolan. On 68 minutes McGonigle had a superb chance to score his fourth, but after racing onto Evan McLaughlin's clever through ball, the ex-Crusaders man fired over the bar when only Healy to beat.
Derry continued to pile forward in search of a eighth goal with Matty Smith in particular going close on a few occasions.
Match Stats
Derry City: Maher, Boyce, S McEleney, Toal (Coll 57), McJannet; Dummigan (Thomson HT), P McEleney (Storey 63), Patching (McLaughlin 57); Kavanagh, McGonigle, Smith.
UCD: Healy, Gallagher, Boore (Verdon HT), Osam, Todd, Dignam; Duffy, Higgins, Kerrigan, Caffrey (Lennon 76); Whelan.
Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).
