League Report: Derry City 5 - 1 Bray Wanderers

From Odhrán Crumley at the Brandywell Stadium

Derry City scored five for the second time this week as they heaped further misery on Bray Wanderers.

Derry were forced to play thirty five minutes of the game with ten men after influential midfielder Nicky Low saw red for a last man tackle.

Derry City began the game in a composed manner immediately setting about their passing game.

Jack Doyle set up the first home attack racing up the line finding Ronan Curtis who won a corner. Aaron McEneff swung the ball in to the box towards the direction of Doyle, but his shot sailed high over the bar.

Eleven minutes in Doyle and Curtis combined once again, this time it was Curtis who cut an inviting ball back towards the edge of the area but on this time no Derry player was there to take advantage.

Four minutes later Derry City took the lead Jack Doyle’s cross finding Ronan Hale who showed an excellent touch to find McEneff to slip the ball to Nicky Low, his shot deflected off of Rory Patterson to wrong foot Dillion and sail into the back of the net.

Straight from the restart Derry should have doubled their advantage as Dillion spilled Curtis’ shot. Ronan Hale raced in for the rebound but somehow managed to send the ball wide with his left foot, a chance he really should have taken.

Bray started the second half more positively going for a more direct approach. Ten minutes into the half Nicky Low saw red rather controversially for an alleged last man challenge.

The sending off seemed to buoy Derry as they doubled their advantage two minutes later through Ronan Curtis who cut out a slack back pass to chip the ball over the top of Dillion who was off his line.

Just past the hour mark and it was three after Ben Doherty was brought down inside the area. Aaron McEneff stepped up to take the penalty and he made no mistake with a panenka effort dinked down the middle.

Bray really should have scored though soon after as two point blank shots inside the six yard box were bravely blocked by Eoin Toal.

The rampant home side continued as Ronan Hale broke from a Gerard Doherty save. Ronan Hale raced clear cutting into the box before shooting low into the bottom right corner of the net.

Soon after the visitors did pull one back through Sean Heaney who rose highest to head home a corner.

David Hopkirk was only on the field around thirty seconds when he turned home a debut goal. Hopkirk tapping home an inch perfect driven cross from Conor McDermott.

Shortly after the sound of referee Damien McGraith’s whistle brought the game to an end confirming a 5-1 win for Derry City.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Conor McDermott, Darren Cole, Eoin Toal, Jack Doyle, Ronan Curtis, Aaron McEneff, Nicky Low, Rory Hale (David Hopkirk 86), Rory Patterson (Ben Doherty 60), Ronan Hale.

Subs Not Used: Eric Grimes, Dapo Kayode, Gavin Peers, Cathal Farren, Scot Whiteside, Niall Logue.

Booked: Aaron McEneff (92), Rory Hale (69), Jack Doyle (40).

Red Cards: Nicky Low (55)

Bray Wanderers: Aaron Dillion, Hugh Douglas, Kevin Lynch, Sean Heaney, Paul O’Connor, Cory Galvin, John Sullivan, Aaron Greene (Ger Pender 87), Dan McKenna, Ronan Coughlan (Daniel Kelly 72), Darragh Noone.

Subs Not Used: Evan Moran, Dylan Hayes, Rhys Gorman, Darragh Gibbons.

Booked: Ger Pender (92).

Red Cards: None.

Referee: Damian McGraith

Attendance: 2,250 (Estimate)

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Eoin Toal (Derry City)