SSE AIRTRICITY: League of Ireland Premier Division
Bohemians…(1) 1 G Kelly (17 Penalty) Derry City…(0) 2 McJannet (63 & 89)
DERRY CITY came from behind to see off a battling Bohemians, to make it back to wins under Ruaidhri Higgins’ stewardship, in what was an action-packed encounter, at Dalymount Park.
The Brandywell men had centre-back Cameron McJannet to thank for the victory, as the young centre-back capped a fine man of the match display by scoring a second half brace, with his winning goal, a cool side footed strike.
Derry were forced into one change from the side which defeated Sligo Rovers last week with Danny Lafferty replacing left-back Ciaran Coll after he failed a late fitness.
As for Bohs they too made one change with centre-back Ciaran Kelly in for the suspended James Finnerty.
The home side would have taken an early lead but for a tremendous last-ditch tackle by Ronan Boyce.
Andy Lyons got in behind the City defence down the right, and his low centre across the six-yard box would have found Georgie Kelly, but Boyce came out of nowhere to slide in and divert the ball away for a corner.
Bohs took the lead on 17 minutes from the penalty spot after Ciaron Harkin fouled Ross Tierney inside the six-yard box and referee Ben Connolly rightfully pointed to the spot and Kelly made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick, side footing home into the bottom right hand corner.
Just after the half-hour mark the woodwork denied Derry as Will Patching’s right wing free-kick found James Akintunde, but the Londoner’s powerful header, which had Bohs keeper James Talbot beaten, crashed against the crossbar.
Right on the stroke of half-time Lyons, who was causing Derry problems throughout the first half, latched onto Keith Ward’s pass but his strike was kept out by Derry keeper Nathan Gartside.
On 50 minutes Gartside made a stunning save to keep Derry in the game, as he got down low to his right to somehow keep out Keith Ward’s close range strike, somehow pushing away the side footed effort.
Derry City manager Ruaidhri Higgins made a double substitution on the hour mark with Marc Walsh and Joe Thomson replacing Parkhouse and Jack Malone and the change worked as Derry levelled things minutes later.
Akintunde incidentally found Walsh and with virtually his first touch, the winger’s left footed strike was saved by Talbot, before Ward cleared the ball for a corner and that resulting set-piece created the leveller.
Patching’s right footed corner from the left to the back post found McJannet and his downward header skipped off the surface and was out of Talbot’s reach.
With their tails up Derry went close to scoring a second on 75 minutes as Ronan Boyce’s deep cross from the right found left-back Lafferty, who ghosted in at the back post, but his close range header was straight at Talbot.
Gartside was called into action again on 83 minutes substitute Jack Moylan latched onto Tyreke Wilson’s pass, but the youngster’s side footed strike was kept out by the big Derry keeper, who stood up well.
Derry took the lead on 89 minutes as Patching’s teasing free-kick found an unmarked McJannet, who calmly showed a silky finish side footing home from 10 yards, giving Talbot no chance.
Bohemians: Talbot, Lyons, Cornwall, C Kelly, Tierney (Devoy 77); Buckley, Wilson, Burt; Ward (Moylan 71), G Kelly, Coote.
Derry City: Gartside, Boyce, Toal, McJannett, Lafferty; Malone (Thomson 59), Harkin, Patching (Lupano 90); Fitzgerald, Parkhouse (Walsh 59), Akintunde.
Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).
SSE AIRTRICITY: League of Ireland Premier Division
Bohemians 1 Derry City 2
Drogheda Utd 1 Sligo Rovers 1
Finn Harps 0 Shamrock Rovers 2
St Patricks Athletic 3 Longford Town 0
Waterford 0 Dundalk 3
SSE AIRTRICITY: League of Ireland First Division
Athlone Town 1 Cabinteely 2
Bray 0 Cork City 0
Shelbourne 2 Treaty Utd 2
Wexford 0 UCD 6
