League Report: Derry City 0 - 4 Dundalk

Odhrán Crumley reports from the Brandywell Stadium

Dundalk made it eight league wins in a row with a devastating destruction of Derry City at the Brandywell.

The Lilywhites led at the break courtesy of a Robbie Benson strike before Patrick Hoban, Michael Duffy and Dylan Connolly sealed a 4-0 win.

Rory Patterson had the first shot of the game in the third minute from the halfway line after spying Gary Rogers off his line.

Rogers, however, was able to comfortably watch the ball sail harmlessly to the right and wide.

The visitors soon got into their passing game and began to dominate possession.

Hoban knocking the ball down into the path of Jamie McGrath on the edge of the area, but McGrath took too much time to get the ball out of his feet and his shot was ultimately blocked.

Jack Doyle was giving Derry real energy on the left flank winning the ball back before playing a neat one-two with Rory Hale.

Doyle’s cross went deep towards the back post but Patterson could not make any contact with his head.

In what would be Derry's best spell of the game, space opened up for Aaron McEneff to have a shot from 25 yards.

McEneff’s effort looked to destined for the bottom left corner of the net but Rogers got down low to save.

Four minutes before the break, Dundalk broke the deadlock as Benson's shot from the edge of the area was spilled into the net by Gerard Doherty at his near post.

The Lilywhites would dominate the second half from start to finish with Duffy causing real problems for his hometown club.

Duffy showing real pace down the left before crossing into the area towards Hoban, and his header cannoned back off the bar and Connolly was on hand to fire into the roof of the net.

Dane Massey knocked a ball over the top and found the run of Michael Duffy in the area but his first time effort uncharacteristically sailed over the bar.

The Oriel Park men did put the game to bed 60 seconds later as McGrath’s deflected cross falling to Hoban in the area and he fired into the net.

As the game trickled into the last ten minutes, substitute Krisztián Adorján slipped the ball to Duffy.

He shaped to cross the ball into the area but instead unleashed a rasping effort into the top left corner of the net.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Jamie McDonagh, Eoin Toal, Conor McDermott, Jack Doyle; Ronan Hale, Darren Cole, Rory Hale, Ben Doherty, Aaron McEneff; Rory Patterson (Cathal Farren 69).

Subs not used: Eric Grimes, Evan Tweed, Adrian Delap, Niall Logue, Sean McBride, Shane McNamee.

Booked: Aaron McEneff (36), Rory Patterson (36), Jamie McDonagh (53).

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Dane Massey, Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary, Séan Hoare; Michael Duffy, Chris Shiels (Sean Gannon 74), Robbie Benson, Dylan Connolly (Krisztián Adorján 80); Patrick Hoban, Jamie McGrath (Ronan Murray 83).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Stephen Folan, Marco Tagbajumi, Dean Jarvis.

Booked: Chris Shiels (36).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.

Attendance: 2,000 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Michael Duffy (Dundalk)