- Ciaran Duffy
- Tue, Apr 08 2008
Derry City claimed their second, comfortable, win over last week's eircom League pace setters in a cold and wet affair in the Brandywell.
St Patricks will have been sore about losing out to a well taken but slightly freak goal in the league clash in Richmond Park on Friday, however they'll have no-one to blame but themselves after this poor performance in the face of a frankly inspiring Derry City team. Derry have had their critics in the opening weeks of the season, and the shaky defence has probably borne the brunt of that, but with this third consecutive clean sheet confidence will be brimming around the Brandywell.
Putting the league aside for now, both teams came into this Setanta cup game looking for a result. Derry had lost their opener in a shameful performance in Windsor while St Pats managed a draw at home to the Glens having fought back from 3-1 down.
After only 30 seconds the referee was called into action after a terrible foul on Owen Morrison who scored the winner days earlier. It spelt the end for Owen who could only struggle on for a few more minutes before he was replaced by the Mercurial Paddy McCourt and that meant trouble for the visitors. St Pats will have wished they hadn't opened the door for this particular Pandoras box of tricks. It didn't take him long to weave his magic as he skipped through, over and beyond tackle after clumsy tackle.
On the 18th minute, he turned away from Lynch and, pushing forward, he curled a perfectly weighted ball around Martyn to put him through one on one with Clarke in the St Pats nets. Ciaran beat the keeper but to the bemusement of the already standing crowd he was unable to beat the crossbar. The Saints responded quickly down their left. A neat through ball from Fahey teased Doherty out of the Derry net. Quigley won the race for the ball but with Doherty stranded on the floor and only Hutton to beat on the line all he could manage to find was the side netting. He'll regret having wastefully squandered what was really their only decent chance of the game.
Back up at the other end Martyn was at it again. The ball broke kindly for Callaghan on the wing who found Sammon on the edge of the crowded St Pats area. Sammon continued the move outside to McGinn whose cross beat the keeper but also eluded both Martyn and Sammon during the ensuing goal-mouth scramble. The referee eventually awarded a free out for a hand ball by Martyn but the writing was on the wall. On the 37th minute Callaghan played a cross field ball to McGinn who played a first time pass on up he line to McGlynn. A quick cross found Martyn in the middle. His looping header beat Clarke who stood motionlessly watching it drop into the back of the net. Third time lucky perhaps for Ciaran who really should have had a hat-trick by then.
Half time arrived and John McDonnell would have been only too pleased to get his boys inside to issue a rallying cry. Nobody listened however and two minutes into the second half Derry doubled their lead. This time McGlynn released McGinn down the wing and his pace was just too much for Frost. The Derry winger was able to take his time as he looked up and cut the ball back to McCourt who had sauntered unchallenged in from the back post. He met the cross powerfully on the volley eight yards out and although Brendan Clarke did well to get back across his net the shot had just too much pace.
St Pats tried to respond quickly and upped their game noticeably but their crisp passing and running was too frenetic and being played at an unsustainable pace. Derry's defence wasn't tested too much and the home side were mostly content to retain possession without having to force much more from the game. Partridge picked up a yellow for four fouls in a minute on Sammon, although the referee only called for two. His frustration was typical of a St Pats team who never really showed signs of a team formerly at the pinnacle of the domestic league.
Kenny will be satisfied with a job well done but, unlike the fans, I don't imagine he'll allow himself to get too carried away. The depths of last season have quickly been forgotten about in the buzz and commotion that has followed the return of the King. All in a day's work for the man who orchestrated a weekend Pats will no doubt want to forget.
Derry City: Ger Doherty; Eddie McCallion, Peter Hutton, Clive Delaney (Ruaidhri Higgins 54), Aaron Callaghan; Gareth McGlynn, Barry Molloy, Ciaran Martyn, Niall McGinn (Mark Farren 81); Owen Morrison (Paddy McCourt 8), Conor Sammon.
Subs not used: Sean Hargan.
St Patrick's Ath: Brendan Clarke; Jamie Harris (John Frost 7), Damien Lynch, Dave Parridge, Stephen Brennan; Alan Kirby Stephen Paisley, Gary Dempsey, Keith Fahey; Mark Quigley (Glen Fitzpatrick 71), Gary O'Neill (Ryan Guy 46).
Subs not used: Barry Ryan, Noel Haverty, Bobby Ryan.
Referee: Adrian McCourt.
