Derry City 1
Waterford 0
Simon Collins reports from the Brandywell
DERRY FULL-BACK JACK Doyle proved the hero at Brandywell Stadium as his second-half header saw off high-flying Waterford and ensured a sixth successive victory for the Candy Stripes.
The win moved City into fourth place above Shamrock Rovers as Kenny Shiels’ side continue to gather momentum.
Waterford were depleted but dominated the first half and came so close to taking the lead on 24 minutes when Izzy Akinade’s shot was cleared off the line by Gavin Peers.
It was a total transformation from the home side in the second half and they deservedly took the lead on 53 minutes when Blackburn Rovers loanee Doyle nipped in at the back post and headed into the net to keep City’s winning run going while the Blues slumped to a third loss of the campaign.
Waterford controlled the game during the opening stages, Derry content on sitting back, soaking up the pressure in the hope of hitting on the counter. The Blues were dominant in the air and from Paul Keegan’s corner on six minutes, Rory Feely headed into the hands of Gerard Doherty.
Waterford got off the hook on 10 minutes when goalkeeper, Lawrence Vigouroux took a heavy touch from a back pass but Rory Patterson didn’t react quickly enough to capitalise and the visitors cleared the danger.
At the other end, a loose Patterson pass made its way to Sander Puri on the left wing and he fired a powerful strike across goal and wide of the far post.
Derry’s first attempt arrived on 20 minutes when Rory Hale hit a speculative volley high over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
Izzy Akinade was causing problems for the City defence and he has a glorious chance to break the deadlock on 24 minutes. Gavan Holohan spread the ball wide on the right to Puri who found Akinade with a terrific ball but Doherty got enough on the striker’s shot to allow Gavin Peers to clear off the line.
Seven minutes before the break, Aaron McEneff laid the ball back to Rory Hale and his 20 yard curling effort was parried clear by a terrific save from Vigouroux.
Waterford had an excellent chance to open the scoring on 40 minutes when a long ball over the top found Akinade as Eoin Toal slipped, but just as the striker bore down on goal the City defender managed to stick his foot out and deflect the shot behind for a corner.
Tempers flared after a tackle on Ronan Hale in the middle of the park with referee, Neil Doyle flashing yellow cards to Rory Hale and David Webster.
Derry made an encouraging start to second half and from a Ronan Hale cross from right Patterson got in front if his marker but his header nestled onto the roof of the net.
And the early pressure paid off on 53 minutes as City took the lead. Ronan Hale’s in-swinging cross towards the back post was met by the head of Doyle and his downward header crept into the net at the near post.
Four minutes later Ronan Curtis almost doubled the lead as he brushed off the challenge of three Waterford defenders before his strike was tipped over the bar by ex-Liverpool keeper, Vigouoroux.
Ronan Hale skipped past substitute, John Martin inside the Waterford penalty area and cross towards the six yard area where the ball broke to McEneff whose close range shot was somehow saved by the outstretched leg of Vigouroux.
Doyle found space inside the Waterford area and tried to find the far corner but his shot deflected wide for a corner with four minutes to go.
Curtis then found space in behind the Waterford defence and skimmed the crossbar with a terrific hit in stoppage time before Ronan Hale fired a gilt-edged chance wide at the death.
Derry City: G. Doherty, C. McDermott (D. Cole, 57), G. Peers, E. Toal, J. Doyle; Ronan Hale, N. Low, R. Hale, R. Curtis; A. McEneff; R. Patterson.
Waterford: L. Vigouroux; J. Kavanagh, R. Feely, D. Webster, D. Barnett (D. Daly, 70); F. Kasmi, P. Keegan, G. Comerford (J. Martin, 70), S. Puri (D. Walsh, 76); G. Holohan; I. Akinade
Referee: Neil Doyle