Derry City 2
Shamrock Rovers 0
Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
DERRY CITY lifted the President’s Cup with an impressive victory over league champions Shamrock Rovers to lay down an early marker in the League of Ireland curtain-raiser.
First-half goals from Will Patching and Michael Duffy decided the contest for the FAI Cup champions but it could so easily have been more for the Candy Stripes who will take huge confidence from this performance going into the start of the league campaign where they are expected to be Rovers’ main title rivals once again.
There were no points at stake in this glorified FAI friendly but the dominant display from the home side will have struck the first psychological blow in the battle between last season’s top two as Ruaidhri Higgins made a welcome return to the dugout following the tragic death of his brother Kevin, who passed away in Sweden last week, aged just 48.
Rovers won the league by 13 points last term and while a ball has yet to be kicked in the Premier Division, early indications would suggest Derry are capable of considerably closing that rather flattering margin.
It was the first time the President’s Cup was staged on Foyleside and the occasion and significant win for Derry was marred by a security alert developing outside the stadium on the Lone Moor Road which caused some disruption for fans exiting the venue.
Both clubs have strengthened in the close season with several new faces on show and Derry debutante Adam O’Reilly and Ben Doherty, returning for his second spell at the club from Larne, proved two of the stand-out performers on the night.
It was Duffy, however, who stole the show with a fantastic assist for Patching and then a finish 16 minutes later which squirmed under the body of red-faced Rovers keeper Leon Pohls.
The opening goal arrived on 23 minutes when Doherty found Duffy on the left wing and the winger did brilliantly to pick out Patching 10 yards from goal who smashed the ball into the back of the net.
Rovers threatened to respond and when Johnny Kenny laid the ball back into the path of Markus Poom the Estonian international blasted over from 25 yards.
Patching tested Pohls with a well struck free-kick from 30 yards drilled low towards goal but the Rovers keeper held the ball well.
Moments later Richie Towell found himself in a promising position on the edge of the Derry penalty area but his effort on the volley went narrowly over the crossbar.
Derry doubled their advantage six minutes before the interval as Duffy’s powerful strike from distance squirmed through the legs of an embarrassed Pohl and nestled in the net.
Rovers made four substitutions at the restart with Byrne, Burke, Trevor Clarke and Neil Farrugia all coming off the bench.
It was Derry who threatened first, however, four minutes into the second half and Patching’s curling strike from the edge of the box struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced out. Duffy followed up sharply but sent his strike into the side netting otherwise the match would’ve been surely out of sight for the league champions.
Derry sub, Jamie McGonigle fired just wide of the far post with a snapshot from just inside the Rovers penalty area on 73 minutes as the home lot pushed for a third.
The game petered out but Derry will have gained great confidence from this display against a toothless Rovers who will be hoping for a much improved display when they open the defence of their league title against Sligo Rovers next Saturday.
President Michael D. Higgins presented the cup to Derry City skipper Patching and Derry will go into next Friday night’s trip to St Patrick’s Athletic with real hope for the season ahead.
Derry City: Maher: Coll, Connolly, McEleney, Doherty; Graydon (McEneff 65), O’Reilly, Diallo, Duffy (Ward 87); Patching; Kavanagh (McGonigle 56): Subs Not Used – Ryan, B. Kavanagh, McLaughlin, Mullan, Barr, McCloskey.
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary (Clarke 45), Lopes, Grace, Cruise; Nugent (Farrugia 45), Poom, Watts (Greene 65), Burt (Burke 45); Towell (Byrne 45); Kenny (Power 65); Subs Not Used – Mannus, Ferizaj, Tetteh.
Referee – Neil Doyle (Dublin)