St. Patrick's Athletic 0 - 2 Derry City

• Eoin Manning
• Fri, Oct 23 2009


Derry City’s clinical finishing was the difference between the two sides tonight as the Candystripes ran out two nil winners over St.Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park tonight in the League of Ireland Premier Division thanks to goals from David McDaid and Gareth McGlynn.

It was to be the home side who threatened first when on five minutes Garreth O’Connor went raiding down the Pat’s right and slipped in Ryan Guy outside the Derry penalty area and his first time pass was perfectly weighted for Mark Quigley to loop a first time effort goalwards.

The ball dipped jut too late for the striker and when it landed on the top of the Derry net certain sections of the crowd thought it had gone in, not so, for now at least.

The opener came just five minutes later however and it was the away side who profited as Jason Gavin cleared across his own area and Darragh Ryan allowed the ball to slide under his foot when controlling it, McGlynn pounced on the sloppy play and struck first time with a powerful volley which appeared to take a touch off Ryan and totally deceived Brendan Clarke in the Pats goal.

Jeff Kenna remarked earlier in the season “the one thing I can’t do is go out and play for them (the players.)” and that is something caretaker boss Pete Mahon obviously doesn’t agree with as on 13 during a break in play Mahon raced on the pitch to pass the ball, accurately, to his players as they mulled over a free kick which gave the Inchicore crowd a moment of light relief in the midst of the tense atmosphere that surrounds a relegation battle.

Then with 20 minutes gone Quigley beat a couple of players about 25 yards from goal and fed Gary Dempsey whose shot was gathered at the second attempt by Gerard Doherty in the Candystripes goal.

Pat’s were beginning to exert some serious pressure at this point and on 41 Stuart Byrne forced Doherty into action again as he header directed an O’Connor free kick on target but the net minder read the danger and palmed over.

Though instead of going level Byrne and co. could have easily found themselves two behind at the break when Barry Molloy struck a crisp effort just past Clarke’s right hand post.

And upon the resumption it was Molloy who was the main threat to the home side’s rearguard again when he first burst through the middle of the Pat’s defence only to shoot straight at Clarke who had narrowed the angel well.

Molloy’s next foray forward was as of a more significant impact however as he fed the ball wide to James MaClean and the winger’s drilled centre was slammed home at the near post by David McDaid.

The little striker had felt he was on the end of some overly close attention from David Partridge in the first half but evaded his clutches this time and finished well.

The goal totally deflated the home side and Derry began to look confident and assured, and goal creator MaClean almost turned scorer on 61 when he cut cleverly inside Stephen Maher but could only manage to direct his effort wide of Clarke’s goal.

Stephen Kenny looks surprisingly anxious as the half wore on in spite of his team’s two goal advantage, perhaps given the Candystripes recent run of results anything seemed destined to turn into defeat for their manager although surely not on this occasion.

Pats best chance of the half fell to Jamie Harris, who was playing as a striker having replaced O’Connor on the hour, when Bobby Ryan and Glenn Fitzpatrick worked the opening well but Harris misjudged the flight of Ryan’s cross and didn’t make proper contact and looked on in despair as his effort floated harmlessly to Doherty.

And so that was to be the last incident of an enjoyable game, Derry are back on track whilst Pats look certainties for the relegation play offs.

Man of the Match: Barry Molloy

St.Pats: Clarke, Maher, Gavin, Partridge, Darragh Ryan, O’Connor (Harris ‘59), Dempsey, Byrne, Bobby Ryan, Guy, Quigley (Fitzpatrick ’84) Subs not used: Roger, Lester, O’Brien

Derry City: Doherty, McCallion, Delaney, Hutton, Higgins, O’Brien, McGlynn, Molloy, MaClean, McDaid (Nash ’90), Harkin (Martyn ’79) Subs not used: Jennings, Kearney, Scullion

Referee: Dave McKeon