SSE Airtricity League Premier Division: Derry City 3 St Pat’s Athletic 1
Derry City returned to winning ways thanks to an entertaining victory over St Patrick’s Athletic, at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
Ruaidhri Higgins stated after Friday night’s loss to champions Shamrock Rovers that he wanted a response and while for long periods in the early stages City were defending, they never really looked back after Daniel Mullen’s opener.
The Scottish striker netted a brace and fellow frontman Pat Hoban also got on the scoring sheet and while Saints Conor Keeley netted for the visitors in between, the Brandywell men moved to three points behind leaders Shelbourne.
City made two changes to their side which lost to the Tallaght men with Ciaran Coll and Hoban coming in for Michael Duffy and Shane McEleney, who both dropped to the bench.
As for the Saints, who drew with Waterford on Friday evening, they too made a brace of changes with Chris Forrester and Ruairi Keating replacing Kian Leavy and Alex Nolan, who were amongst the substitutes.
Saints missed a glorious chance on six minutes as Forrester’s teasing left wing cross picked out Mason Melia, but the youngster’s close range header was straight at City goalkeeper Brain Maher.
Totally against the run of play Derry took the lead as Ben Doherty’s great left wing cross found Daniel Mullen unmarked and the striker made no mistake side footing home from close range.
Forrester broke the offside trap just before the half-hour mark to latch onto Jamie Lennon’s pass, but the midfielder’s attempted chip failed to test Maher and was well off target.
On 41 minutes Brandon Kavanagh went close to making his Brandywell return with goal but after cutting inside from the right onto his favoured left foot, his curling strike was well tipped away by a diving Maher.
Right on the stroke of half-time Patching ran at the Saints defence, but his low drive from just inside the box was straight at Rogers.
The Candystripes scored a second on 52 minutes as Mark Connolly showed a great piece of skill on the left hand edge of the box to skip away from Ryan McLaughlin, before seeing his curling shot parried away by Rogers, but Hoban turned home the rebound from close range.
Pat’s to their credit pulled a goal back two minutes later as Kavanagh’s right wing free-kick was outstandingly turned home by Conor Keeley, the big centre-back’s close range overhead kick clipped the bar on its way into the net.
The home side regained their two goal advantage on 57 minutes as Patching’s inswinging free-kick from the left was powerfully headed home by Mullen, at the near post. Forrester went close on 84 minutes but his dipping shot was well parried away by a diving Maher.