- Gordon Hunt
- Fri, Apr 08 2011
Fine goals from Gareth McGlynn and Eamon Zayed helped Derry to a comfortable win over Dundalk on Friday night as a defensive masterclass, a creative midfield and a dangerous attack all combined to carve open the Lilywhites on countless occasions throughout the game.
McGlynn’s opener came just after the half hour mark when Patrick McEleney’s excellent work released the winger to force his effort in at the near post. Zayed doubled the lead moments later with a real poachers effort at the far post following good play from Daniel Lafferty on the left.
Further chances for McGlynn, Zayed and Kevin Deery almost made the game a rout and Dundalk will be reeling after enjoying just as much ball, but nothing like the sort of chances that the hosts created. Both sides made one change from their last league fixtures as Derry welcomed back Patrick McEleney, who replaced David McDaid, while Dundalk brought in Dean Bennett for Keith Ward.
And both sides started brightly, with Daniel Kearns causing no end of problems for the Derry defence with his constant forward runs, but it was the Candystripes who created the better chances, almost from the start. After five minutes, Peter Cherrie was already down to make a good save from a Ruidhri Higgins effort – it was a sign of things to come.
Dundalk were struggling to link the final ball and this was typified when Kearns and Jason Byrne combined early on just outside the box, releasing Kearns, but the ball was just too far ahead of him and Derry recovered.
Derry started to turn the screw from then, as for all Dundalk’s nice build up play, they just weren't threatening Ger Doherty in the host’s goal. Deery found Eamon Zayed with a nice through ball straight through the centre of the park, the Libyan international immediately released Gareth McGlynn – which became a regular occurance – but his effort went over.
Just before the halfway point of the first period, Zayed and McGlynn combined again. The winger’s excellent cross was headed wide by Zayed when unmarked, it looked the type of chance that eventually costs a side. James McClean then blasted a low cross along the six-yard box only for Dundalk to scramble the ball behind. McGlynn’s subsequent corner was then headed wide by Stephen Greacen as Peter Cherrie surely began to realise he was in for a busy night between the Lilywhites’ sticks.
Derry took the lead when Patrick McEleney combined with Deery at the halfway-line, before charging at goal. McEleney then shaped to shoot, fooled the defence, and rolled in McGlynn who forced his effort through Cherrie’s stretching hands. The keeper should have done better, but that is not taking away from Derry’s fine build-up play.
Derry immediately doubled their lead when Daniel Lafferty’s cross made its way to the back post where Zayed stretched to convert and sent the hosts in two-up at the break. Zayed was impressing through the middle, but it was down the wings through McClean and McGlynn that Derry were constantly running amok.
The second half started rather scrappily, with the fans having to wait until the hour mark for the first half-chance, as McGlynn’s cross dropped onto the crossbar. He didn’t mean it, but Cherrie was struggling to scamper backwards and a fraction lighter and the cross would surely have dropped in.
Zayed was almost in minutes later, but somehow referee Damien Hancock gave a free out after Shane Guthrie fell with little or no contact from the striker. With the Libyan International in on goal, a third goal was very likely before the strange decision.
At the other end – with 20 minutes remaining – Mark Quigley’s cross allowed Jason Byrne a chance to head at goal but, after his effort was blocked by Daniel Lafferty, he volleyed straight at Ger Doherty: his first effort on target in a frustrating night up front for Dundalk.
Dundalk enjoyed plenty of possession as the game wound down, but just could not carve open enough good chances. Jason Byrne had another effort saved and Mark Quigley’s late strike flew fractions wide of the post as Derry began to look comfortable.
James McClean maintained pressure down the left and Dundalk struggled right up to the final whistle as Derry saw off one of their challengers for the top spots this season.
Derry City: Ger Doherty, Eddie McCallion, Shane McEleney, Stewart Greacen, Danny Lafferty, Gareth McGlynn, Ruaidhri Higgins, Kevin Deery, James McClean; Patrick McEleney (Stephen McLaughlin 72), Eamon Zayed.
Subs not used: Eugene Ferry, Emmet Friars, Ryan McBride, Thomas McBride, Ruairi Harkin David McDaid.
Bookings: Greacen (62).
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Simon Madden, Colin Hawkins, Shane Guthrie, Nathan Murphy; Stephen McDonnell (Keith Ward 75), Daniel Kearns, Dean Bennett, Ross Gaynor; Mark Quigley, Jason Byrne.
Subs not used: Paul Murphy, Michael Hector, Mark Griffin, Johnny Breen.
Bookings: None.
Referee: Damien Hancock.
Attendance: 1,912
Extratime man of the match : Gareth McGlynn.
