Derry City 3
Bohemians 1
Simon Collins reports from Brandywell Stadium
DERRY CITY MAINTAINED their perfect start to life back at Brandywell Stadium with victory over 10-man Bohemians, which lifted them into third place in the Premier Division table.
The Candystripes have now recorded seven consecutive wins in all competitions with this hard-fought victory over the Gypsies, who had ex-City winger Paddy Kavanagh sent off on 56 minutes for a robust tackle on Ronan Curtis.
And City’s incredible winning run against the Dubliners is now stretched to nine games since Kenny Shiels took charge in 2016. They twice hit the woodwork in an action-packed encounter played in wet and windy conditions on Foyleside.
Aaron McEneff gave the home side the lead on 20 minutes with a neat left-foot finish. However, six minutes later, Bohs equalised, when on-loan Leicester City youngster Dylan Watt deftly flicked it over the head of Gerard Doherty.
Kavanagh was given his marching orders by referee Rob Rogers and Derry capitalised on their numerical advantage almost instantly through a close-range strike from Rory Patterson.
And in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Scottish midfielder Nicky Low broke at pace and slotted in the third.
Kenny Shiels made just one enforced change from the team that defeated Waterford on Friday night, with the injured Conor McDermott (hamstring) replaced by Darren Cole at right-back, while Keith Long made five changes from the Bohs team that clinched the dramatic stoppage-time win in the Dublin Derby at Tallaght.
Bohemians soaked up the early pressure and created the first real threatening attack of the game, when JJ Luney’s shot was deflected behind by a last-ditch block from Rory Hale inside the Derry penalty area.
Derry broke at pace from the resultant set-piece as goalkeeper Shane Supple needed to be quick off his line and thanks in part to the assistance of Karl Moore, managed to dispossess Hale inside the Bohs six-yard box with a crunching tackle.
The home side hit the front on 20 minutes when McEneff latched onto the ball just outside the Bohs penalty area, strolled past Dan Casey with ease before firing clinically into the net at the near post.
The Gypsies drew level six minutes later when Kavanagh sent Watts in behind with a ball over the top of the City defence and he lifted it over the head of the onrushing Doherty with a deft touch.
Derry almost hit back from a McEneff corner, but Curtis’ strike on the volley from six yards was blocked superbly by Supple.
Ronan Hale rattled the crossbar with a terrific strike from 20 yards before Eoin Toal’s shot on the turn from a corner drifted narrowly wide of the post, with Supple rooted to the spot.
The Dubliners should’ve taken the lead seven minutes before the break when Luney played Dinny Corcoran clean through on goal, but his tame shot was saved comfortably by Doherty.
Playing with the strong wind at their backs in the second half, Derry came so close to adding a second on 51 minutes. Low’s powerful free-kick was parried into the path of Cole, who blasted over the bar under pressure.
Bohemians were reduced to 10 men on 55 minutes when Kavanagh, who played 24 times for Derry, was shown a straight red for a strong tackle on Curtis 40 yards from the Derry goal.
And within 60 seconds, the Candy Stripes were back in front as Supple parried McEneff’s drive into the feet of Patterson and the striker was left the easiest of tasks as he slotted into the net from four yards.
Dan Byrne produced a brave clearing header to deny Curtis’ close-range volley on 74 minutes, before Gavin Peers crashed a powerful header off the crossbar during a sustained spell of pressure on the Bohs’ goal.
Substitute Eoghan Stokes could’ve pulled one back for Bohs moments later, when he got onto the end of a terrific cross from Karl Moore, but he fluffed his lines from eight yards with the goal at his mercy,
Derry were not content with the one-goal lead and when Low broke in behind the Bohs backline, he showed impressive composure, slotting it past Supple to ensure Derry’s impressive run continued.
Derry City - Doherty; Cole, Peers, Toal, Doyle; Ronan Hale, Low, Rory Hale, Curtis; McEneff, Patterson (Cofie, 80).
Bohemians - Supple; Buckley, Byrne, Casey, Leahy; Kavanagh, Gannon, Watts, Moore; Lunney (Lynons, 72), Corcoran (Stokes, 61).
R. Rogers (Dublin).
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