Derry City 0
Sligo Rovers 2
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH, Raff Cretaro marked his 450th club appearance with a fine goal as Sligo Rovers brought Derry City’s nine-game unbeaten run came to an end at Brandywell.
Cretaro netted for the second consecutive week in the first half and Jimmy Keohane put the game beyond the home side midway into the second period.
The visitors had started on the front foot and Doherty twice had to come to his side’s rescue with two excellent saves in the opening stages.
John Russell played Liam Martin in behind the Derry defence after five minutes but the striker’s close-range shot was saved brilliantly by the outstretched leg of Doherty.
Mick Leahy was gifted a chance from Russell’s corner two minutes later but he somehow sent his header at the near post wide of the mark.
Cretaro was next to try his luck when he turned Conor McDermott 12 yards from the goal but his weak shot was saved by Doherty,
The Derry keeper had to be alert on 24 minutes when the lively Cretaro was sent through on goal by Jimmy Keohane and the Tubbercurry man’s shot was beaten away by Doherty.
Rory Patterson had Derry’s first shot on target on 24 minutes but his low strike from 20 yards was saved comfortably by Micheal Schlingermann.
Finally, Sligo got their reward two minutes later from Craig Rodden’s free kick to the back post where Cretaro peeled away from Patrick McClean and headed into the bottom corner.
Kenny Shiels replaced Nathan Boyle with Ronan Curtis at the break and the Candystripes made a promising start to the second period.
Keith Ward had a shot saved by Schlingermann and McNamee screwed his shot wide. But Cretaro forced a good save from Doherty with his powerful long-range effort as the goalkeeper punched clear.
Derry’s best chance arrived on 62 minutes, when McDermott’s inswinging cross fell to substitute Ronan Curtis at the back post, but he sent his shot agonisingly across the face of goal and wide.
Martin smashed his shot off the post three minutes later and Jimmy Keohane struck the underside of the crossbar with the rebound as Sligo hit back.
And the Bit O’Red added a second on 68 minutes when Aaron McEneff got on the ball inside his own half and Keohane nipped in and poked the ball past Doherty.
Sligo then held on comfortably to their two-goal cushion as Derry’s unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.
Derry City: G. Doherty; N. Vemmelund, R. McBride, P. McClean, C. McDermott; C. McCormack (J. Daniels 73), A. McEneff; K. Ward (D. Jarvis 57), B. McNamee, N. Boyle (R. Curtis h-t); R. Patterson; Subs Not Used – S. Patton, J. Allen, R. Doherty, A. Barry.
Sligo Rovers: M. Schlingermann; T. Adebayo-Rowling, M. Leahy, G. Boylan, R. Donelon; J. Richards, J. Russell (P. Roberts 90), C. Rodden, J. Keohane; R. Cretaro (R. Sadlier 90); L. Martin; Subs Not Used – C. Lyons, K. Sadlier, C. Nugent, G. Armstrong, M. Place, J. Gordon.
Referee - Robert Rogers.
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