Report: Derry City 0 - 3 St Patricks Athletic
Credit:
A second half hat-trick from Mark Quigley topped off a particularly bad night for Derry City where nothing seemed to go right, but more worryingly nobody seemed to care.
John McDonnell kept the pressure on Bohemians at the business end of the table while Stephen Kenny will be scratching his head as to where it all went wrong for his normally solid team. Derry dropped to fourth in the table with this dismal display having now conceded six second half goals over the course of their last two home games.
The first half started with real gusto as St Pats showed they were out for revenge for the two defeats Derry dished out to them earlier in the season. Dessie Byrne picked up a yellow card very early on to set the theme for the night, no quarter would be given.
Derry opted for a 4-5-1 formation with Mark Farren playing on the left and in the first half he looked every bit a man out of position. Connor Sammon ploughed a lonely furrow up top for much of the match with little or no support and Niall McGinn, while lively and interested was the third prong of a mostly disjointed attack.
Neither team had a serious shot in anger in the first half. The best chance of the first 45 minutes fell to Mark Quigley who blasted high and wide with Eddie McCallion lying prostrate on the ground beside him. Derry had enjoyed the lion’s share of first half possession but had almost no idea what to do with it.
At 8.35 the referee blew his whistle for the interval, an act of mercy for the 3000 or so fans who had turned out. The home fans were able to say a final farewell to Paddy McCourt the first summer signing for SPL Champions, Glasgow Celtic - boy did Derry miss his spark tonight! His talent is certainly a loss to the eircom League.
As much as the first half was all about trying to stay awake, the second half was all about Mark Quigley. St Pats came out with a renewed sense of purpose and within five minutes they were on top. Glenn Fitzpatrick found the ball in space on the right and his back post cross was bundled home by Quigley much to the delight of the 30 travelling fans. The writing had certainly been on the wall as this wasn’t the first time the home side’s defence had been left at sixes and sevens.
The next thirty minutes went by in a blur of incompetence as St Pats comfortably held on to a deserved lead. The visitors frustrated Derry all over the park as the home side struggled to carve out even one clear cut chance. Eddie McCallion made way for Gareth McGlynn who did help to tie the midfield together for all that that’s worth.
In the 85th minute Derry finally imploded altogether and Quigley was on hand again to take full advantage. Mark had spent most of the first half dropping deep to help out in a needlessly over-crowded midfield but as the game wore on he enjoyed the space the Derry defence offered him as they invited him forward time and again. Quigley – who may or may not have used his hand – charged down a clearance from Derry custodian Gerard Doherty and then casually strolled the ball home like carefree lovers ending a first date.
The party wasn’t over for the front man there though as he had wicked plans of his own to take the match ball back to his place. Two minutes from time the Derry rearguard was penetrated again as Ryan Guy, in ample space on the right, centred for Quigley who curled the ball beyond the reach of Doherty. Derry have never looked so bad.
Three goals, three points and three cheers for St Patrick’s.
Derry City: Ger Doherty; Eddie McCallion (Gareth McGlynn 63), Peter Hutton, Clive Delaney, Steven Gray; Niall McGinn, Barry Molloy (Ruaidhri Higgins 72), Ciaran Martyn (Kevin McHugh 81), Kevin Deery; Mark Farren, Conor Sammon.
St Patrick's Ath: Barry Ryan; Damien Lynch, Stephen Paisley, Jamie Harris, Dessie Byrne; Alan Kirby, Gary Dempsey, Keith Fahey, Ryan Guy; Glen Fitzpatrick (Bobby Ryan 85), Mark Quigley.
Referee: Hugo Whoriskey.
Attendance: 3,100 (estimate).
Extratime Man of the Match: Mark Quigley (St Patrick's Athletic).
