- Padraic O'Conghaile
- Sat, Feb 25 2017
Derry City easily took three points home from Dalymount Park as they beat Bohemians 4-1 in their opening fixture of the 2017 Premier Division season.
A brace from substitute Nathan Boyle either side of half time, along with second half goals from Aaron McEneff and Lucas Schubert, was enough to secure victory for the visitors.
McEneff opened the scoring after 14 minutes as he slotted a penalty into the bottom right corner after Rory Patterson had been fouled. Bohs goalkeeper Shane Supple guessed right but was unable get a hand to it.
Ronan Curtis should have doubled the lead seven minutes later As Nicky Low ran up to take a corner, Curtis took a few steps towards the front post with everyone else. He then stepped backward to make some space for a free header at the back post but there was not enough power to beat the Bohs keeper.
Derry dominated most of the first half with shots just wide from Ben Doherty and Conor McDermott.
In the first minute of additional time, Derek Pender played a back pass towards the goal, Supple was off his line and had to rush back to clear the ball off the line. His clearance only went as far as substitute Nathan Boyle, who slotted the ball home.
In the 50th minute Dinny Corcoran headed just over the bar from a Lorcan Fitzgerald corner at the near post. Somehow the clearance from Doherty sent Boyle free with only Supple to beat, and he slotted the ball between the keeper's legs at the near post.
Five minutes later Dinny Corcoran scored his first of the season. Dean Jarvis failed to clear a through ball from George Poynton and Corcoran's shot beat Gerard Doherty from just inside the penalty spot.
In the 65th minute Lukas Schubert replaced Josh Daniels. Within 15 seconds he had found the back of the net. Nathan Boyle was behind the defence with only Supple to beat, but the Bohs keeper blocked his shot into the path of Schubert who tapped it into an empty net.
The next 20 minutes saw Derry sitting deep and absorbing the pressure from the home side. The Gypsies created a few chances but the away side looked at their best on the break with some very smooth passing.
In the dying minutes of the game Bohs had a few half chances. Lorcan Fitzgerald took a free kick from the right hand side but Ian Morris was unable to beat Doherty with his headed effort at the back post.
Next Friday Derry play their first game at their temporary home at Maginn Park in Buncrana. They will host newly-promoted Limerick. The Gypsies will travel to Tallaght to play against arch rivals Shamrock Rovers, in the first of the Dublin derbies.
Bohemian FC: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Dan Byrne, Ian Morris, Lorcan Fitzgerald; George Poynton, Patrick Kavanagh, Keith Ward (Kaleem Simon 61), Jamie Doyle (Philly Gannon 78), Oscar Brennan; Dinny Corcoran.
Subs not used: Greg Murray, Stephen Best, Rob Cornwall, Eoghan Morgan, Dean Casey.
Bookings: None.
Derry City: Gerrard Doherty; Conor McDermott, Ben Doherty (Scott Whiteside 68), Ryan McBride, Dean Jarvis; Nicky Low, Joshua Daniels (Lucas Schubert 63), Aaron McEniff, Barry McNamee; Ronan Curtis, Rory Patterson (Nathan Boyle 28).
Subs not used: Eric Grimes, Rory Holden, Mark Timlin, Alon Netzer.
Bookings: None.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Attendance: 2,170
Extratime Man of the Match: Nathan Boyle (Derry City).
