Superb sub Whelan does it again as Derry City dominate St. Pat's!

Derry City 2

St. Patrick’s Athletic 0

Colm Whelan came off the bench to score his first Brandywell goal to help Derry City to a deserved win over St. Patrick’s Athletic at the Brandywell.

The striker, who scored at Cork City last week, was on hand to head in from Ben Doherty’s corner late in the second half to seal an important and deserved win for the home side, who welcome champions Shamrock Rovers to the Brandywell on Monday.

Derry City dominated from the start and could have had a goal as early as the 11th minute. Michael Duffy picked out the run of Ben Doherty to set up Ollie O’Neill in the area, but his effort came back off the base of the post with Dean Lyness beaten.

Derry City came close again on 17 minutes when Ben Doherty’s corner was met by Cameron McJannet, whose header was then headed goalwards by Michael Duffy, but Lyness clutched the ball on the goal line much to the relief of the St. Pat’s players.

Lyness came to St. Pats’ rescue twice in a matter of seconds on the half hour as Derry City came so clos to opening the scoring. A brilliant one-two between Doherty and O’Neill set up the former with a clear shot on goal which the Pat’s goalkeeper brilliantly stopped, but he was fortunate that Doherty swung wildly at the rebound and missed the ball completely. Derry remained on the front foot however and Duffy tried his luck from 20 yards with a curling effort which Lyness had to push past the post for a corner.

The chances just kept coming for Derry City and they carved the Pats’ defence apart again on 36 minutes. Sadou Diallo played Ryan Graydon in behind Anto Breslin and the winger whipped in a cross to the inrushing Duffy who met the ball on the volley first time, but his effort flashed wide.

Derry wasted no time in getting back onto the front foot at the start of the second half when Duffy’s free kick into the area found McJannet in space, but the defender volleyed over. Ryan Graydon then curled an effort just over the bar as the home side got closer and closer to a goal.

Derry’s frustrations in front of goal finally ended when they were awarded a penalty on 72 minutes. Ryan Graydon went on a run directly at the heart of the Pats’ defence and went down under a challenge from Noah Lewis. After a moment’s hesitation, referee Paul McLaughlin pointed to the penalty spot and Ben Doherty rifled in his third goal of the season to make it 1-0.

City then doubled their lead to secure the points just seven minutes later. From the hosts’ tenth corner of the evening, substitute Whelan rose highest to power in a header from Doherty’s corner to score his first Brandywell goal.

Teams

DERRY CITY: Maher, Boyce, Doherty, McJannet, S McEleney, Diallo (McEneff 69’), O’Reilly, Graydon, O’Neill, Duffy (Coll 85’), C Kavanagh (Whelan 64’).

ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Lyness, Lewis, Sjoberg, Breslin, Curtis, Lennon, Timmermans (Murphy 75’), Forrester, M Doyle (Carty 87’), Mulraney (Atakayi 83’), E Doyle (Lonergan 75’).

REFEREE: Paul McLaughlin