Institute 0

Derry City 3

Ryan Curran gave manager Peter Hutton a timely reminder of his ability with two goals as Derry City defeated Institute at the Riverside Stadium.

The young striker, who has been on the fringes of the City squad this season, hit two first half goals to set Derry on their way to a comfortable win over their Drumahoe neighbours.

This was a valuable run out for both Institute and Derry City, with huge games on the horizon. ‘Stute kick off their Premier Division campaign with a trip to Dungannon Swifts on Saturday, whilst Peter Hutton takes his side to Shamrock Rovers on Friday.

Paul Kee was able to give almost his entire squad a run out, fielding two different elevens in each half, whilst new signing Shaun Kelly played 90 minutes for Derry.

Derry started the game spectacularly as they took the lead after only 16 seconds. The first Institute player to touch the ball in fact was goalkeeper Michael Doherty, who picked the ball out of his net. Sean Houston took the ball from the Derry City centre, and played it to Ryan Curran, who drilled it low past Doherty from 20 yards to make it 1-0.

‘Stute slowly but surely came into the game and twice in a matter of minutes Ciaran Gallagher prevented them from equalising.

James McIntyre played Stephen O’Flynn through on goal, but Gallagher saved with his right leg, before the ball broke loose for Darren McCauley moments later only for the City goalkeeper to parry the ball for a second time.

An entertaining game saw both teams trade chances, although City looked the more dangerous of the teams with Dooley on the right and Tracey on the left causing continuous problems in the ‘Stute defence.

But the clearer cut chances were falling to ‘Stute and they should have equalised again on the half hour mark, when McCauley played O’Flynn through on the left side of the Derry penalty area. Shane McEleney made up the ground lost on the former Candy Stripe, but O’Flynn  cleverly turned inside the defender and smashed a powerful effort past Gallagher only to be denied by the crossbar.

The home side paid the price for wasting those chances as Stephen Dooley doubled Derry’s lead three minutes before the break, cutting in from the right and firing the ball past an exposed Doherty.

Doherty was picking the ball out of his net again just three minutes later as Derry surged three goals clear before the break.

Stephen Dooley was again the architect as he raced untroubled to the ‘Stute by-line and his cross found Ryan Curran just inside the area, and his volley took a huge deflection to loop past Doherty and into the net.

Paul Kee sent out a completely different eleven for the second half while a host of changes from Hutton also disrupted the flow of the game.

‘Stute were slightly more threatening in the second period but the closest they came was when Dean Curry sent a header flashing past Ciaran Gallagher’s goal 15 minutes from time.

Derry's substitute goalkeeper Michael Lynch replaced Gallagher with ten minutes remaining and he was called on to save 'Stute's best effort of the night, a superbly hit shot from Ryan Varma which the goalkeeper gathered at the secondd attempt.

Teams

Derry: Ciaran Gallagher (Michael Lynch 80’), Cliff Byrne (Conor Barr 80’), Dean Jarvis (Shay Dunlop 80’), Shaun Kelly, Shane McEleney, Philip Lowry (Aidan McCauley 55’), Sean Houston (George Kelly 72’), Josh Tracey (Ryan Doherty 70’), Stephen Dooley (Michael Barr 45’), Tony McNamee, Ryan Curran.

Institute 1st half: Michael Doherty, Graeme Crown, Paddy McLaughlin, Colm McLaughlin, Stephen Curry, Jude Ballard, Dwayne McManus, Lee Toland, Darren McCauley, Stephen O’Flynn, Jamie McIntyre.

Institute 2nd half: Corey Wilson, Mark Scoltock, Aaron Walsh, Dean Curry, Matty Young, Ryan Varma, Thomas McBride (Mehawl Martin 72’), Declan McKeever, Robbie Hume, Darren McFadden, Ben Doherty (Gary Henderson 72’).

Referee: Stephen Wallace.

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