- Chris McNulty
- Mon, May 05 2008
Holders Derry City eased into the third round of the eircom League Cup following tonight's three-nil victory over North West rivals Finn Harps in what was a low-key affair played in front of a disappointing crowd at Brandywell.
Conor Sammon netted either side of the interval while Niall McGinn was on target with his first goal in the Candystripes on a night when the home side were comfortable winners and Stephen Kenny's side never had to get out of the lower gears and were rarely, if ever, troubled by a Harps side that has now gone eleven and a half hours without scoring.
While the Bank Holiday Monday sunshine may have had spectators otherwise occupied throughout the day, it was still a disappointingly low attendance that converged on Foyleside for North West derby number two in 2008. Both managers made a handful of changes from their League game on the Friday night for Monday night's encounter. Aaron Callaghan, who had been at the centre of intense transfer speculation at Finn Park during the closed season, was recalled to the Derry line-up along with Mark McChrystal, Conor Sammon, Gareth McGlynn and Kevin Deery.
On the Harps side, meanwhile, Tony Shields returned to the starting XI having been given compassionate leave for the last couple of games. Gavin Cullen, Marc Mukendi, Gerry Gill and Shaun Williams were the others to profit from the switches made to the side that had lost 1-0 in Drogheda.
It was City who were first to threaten when Kevin McHugh got on the end of Owen Morrison's corner from the right, but his header was taken from under the crossbar by Kevin Ramsey. Soon after, Ramsey was in the action at the other end when he teed up Gethins, having picked up possession after Kevin Deery and Eddie McCallion got their wires crossed, but his strike partner was off target on what was a rare foray into the final third.
Derry continued to press and McHugh headed wide from Aaron Callaghan's delivery while Barry Molloy had an effort deflected wide after McHugh declined to shoot after doing the hard grafting in taking himself into the box from out the left flank. Gareth McGlynn then flicked wide after a Kevin Deery fell into his path, but thankfully for the Harps defence the midfielder was a fraction late in reacting.
The breakthrough seemed inevitable and it came just after the half-an-hour mark when ex Harps fans' favourite Kevin McHugh provided the pin-point delivery for Conor Sammon, who had the simplistic task of tapping home at the back post with the Harps defence asleep.
The Donegal side threw on Chris Breen for Kevin Ramsey at half-time in a bid to liven things up a bit, but just four minutes into the new half they were rocked with the concession of a second. Niall McGinn, after taking a pass from Sammon, cut inside from the right and he sent a delightful effort beyond the reach of the helpless Gavin Cullen. It was, from there on, a matter of playing the game out, although Derry could have added a fourth only for 'keeper Cullen spreading himself well at the feet of Owen Morrison.
McHugh rolled wide five minutes from time, but it mattered little as the damage had long-since been inflicted.
Derry City (4-4-2): Gerard Doherty; Kevin Deery (Seamus Sharkey 77), Eddie McCallion, Mark McChrystal, Aaron Callaghan; Niall Maginn, Gareth McGlynn (Mark Farren 83), Barry Molloy (Ruaidhri Higgins 68), Owen Morrison; Conor Sammon, Kevin McHugh.
Subs not used: Paul Simon Tracey, David McDaid.
Booked: Deery (18), Callaghan (65).
Finn Harps (4-4-2): Gavin Cullen; Sean Roddy, Declan Boyle, Marc Mukendi, Shaun Holmes (Con Gallagher 71); Gerry Gill, Tony Shields (Marc Brolly 77), Michael Funston, Shaun Williams; Kevin Ramsey (Chris Breen 46), Conor Gethins.
Subs not used: James Gallagher, Stuart Malcolm.
Booked: Mukendi (42), Holmes (54).
Referee: Richie Winters.
