FORMER BOHEMIANS FAVOURITE James Clarke bagged a brace as Derry City signed off from their temporary home at Celtic Park with their biggest win of the season.
Clarke, who was the Dubliners’ top scorer last season, missed a glorious opportunity for a hat-trick as his 80th minute penalty was saved superbly by Paul Walters.
It mattered little, however, as Tiernan Lynch’s under-performing side clinched their fifth win of the campaign and a first victory in eight attempts.
The Brandywell club had scored just twice in their previous four games at the Derry GAA headquarters prior to this clash and this was just the second time they scored more than two goals in a game.
The mid-season break clearly came at the perfect time for the Candystripes who had won just four games in their opening 20 games. Bohemians came into the game in second spot having won four of their previous five fixtures and the Dubliners got off to the perfect start.
Harry Vaughan, whose contract at Hull City expires this month, fired a thunderous strike from distance past Eddie Beach on 17 minutes.
Clarke levelled the match on 24 minutes when he calmly found the bottom corner of the net after Kevin Dos Santos picked him out in the six yard box. Northern Ireland U21 international Conor Barr put Derry ahead on 55 minutes with a spectacular effort – the 20-year-old’s first goal for his hometown club.
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That was the first of three goals from the home side in the space of eight minutes as Derry turned on the style. Clarke struck the foot of the post on the hour mark but reacted quickly to fire in the rebound against his former club.
Two minutes later Dos Santos finished a lovely team move as City skipper Michael Duffy crossed from the left. It was all one-way traffic, and although Clarke missed the chance to complete a treble from the penalty spot, it was a much-needed win for the under-pressure Lynch as Derry remained unbeaten at Celtic Park.
A strong police presence was outside the ground following reports of a clash between Bohemians and Derry City fans at nearby Mailey’s Bar on the Lecky Road, but the trouble was fortunately contained and didn’t spill over inside the venue.
Bohs started brightly and two minutes in Dayle Rooney crossed towards the back post from a free-kick wide on the right. It was headed back across goal by Cian Byrne and Hickey flicked it onto the crossbar
From a corner kick, Dayle crossed deep towards former Derry centre half Sam Todd. At the other end, City captain Michael Duffy reached James Clarke’s cross from the right, but it bounced in front of him and his effort went straight into the hands of Paul Walters.
Dawson Devoy was brought crashing down inside the Derry penalty area by Barry Cotter who initially got the ball with an outstretched leg but caught the Bohs skipper with the follow-through. Referee Rob Hennessy brushed off the protests and awarded a corner kick.
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The visitors broke the deadlock in some style through Vaughan who played a neat one-two with Ross Tierney and raced unopposed towards the Derry goal before firing a stunning strike past Eddie Beach from 25 yards.
It was the 10th time this season Derry conceded the first goal in a game across the opening 21 fixtures. Rooney cut inside on his left foot just inside the Derry penalty area to get away from Dos Santos and his goal-bound effort was parried away by Beach on 21 minutes.
Derry were back on level terms on 24 minutes following a mistake from ex-Candystripe Sadou Diallo who gifted the ball to Dos Santos inside the Bohemians box. The Portuguese winger picked out Clarke who took a touch onto his left foot and slotted confidently into the bottom corner.
Clarke got away from Hickey as Derry found themselves three on two and when the Meath man crossed across the face of goal Darragh Power did brilliantly to apply pressure on Duffy whose shot was turned behind by Walters at his near post.
From the resultant corner kick the keeper punched clear, but the ball fell kindly to Dummigan whose effort on the half volley sailed narrowly wide of the far post on 35 minutes.
Todd was fortunate as his clearance from Duffy’s cross sailed over his own crossbar on the stroke of half-time, with the teams going in level.
Lynch made a switch at the interval with Cotter replaced by James Olayinka. Dummigan dropped into centre back and Conor Barr moved out to right-back, and Olayinka took up a midfield position.
Clarke fired just wide of the post with a right-footed strike from just outside the Bohemians 18 yard box before Derry took the lead on 55 minutes. Clarke laid the ball into Barr’s path and the City defender rifled a spectacular strike into the net from 25 yards – the 20-year-old’s first goal for his hometown club.
Five minutes later Derry increased their lead as Clarke curled an effort off the post and reacted quickest to bundle the rebound into the net from close range.
Derry played with a swagger and added a fourth two minutes later. Olayinka burst forward from deep in the Bohs half before finding the run of Duffy on the left. The City skipper crossed low into the box and Dos Santos gleefully finished into the net.
Walters punched clear Duffy’s curling free-kick towards the near post with 15 minutes remaining as Derry searched for a fifth goal.
Zane Myers brought down Brandon Fleming inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Duffy handed the ball to Clarke who was on a hat-trick, but Walters made a great save at full stretch to turn away the ex-Bohs man’s spot-kick with 10 minutes to go.
Derry fully deserved the victory after a brilliant second-half display and Lynch will be hoping his side has turned a corner.
Derry City: Beach, Cotter (Olayinka h-t, Boyce 77), Barr, P McClean, Fleming; Markey (Downey 90), O’Reilly, Dummigan; Dos Santos (Rylah 87), Clarke, Duffy (J. McClean 87).
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Clarke on the double as Derry City sign off from temporary Celtic Park home with big win
Derry City 4
Bohemians 1
Simon Collins reports from Celtic Park
FORMER BOHEMIANS FAVOURITE James Clarke bagged a brace as Derry City signed off from their temporary home at Celtic Park with their biggest win of the season.
Clarke, who was the Dubliners’ top scorer last season, missed a glorious opportunity for a hat-trick as his 80th minute penalty was saved superbly by Paul Walters.
It mattered little, however, as Tiernan Lynch’s under-performing side clinched their fifth win of the campaign and a first victory in eight attempts.
The Brandywell club had scored just twice in their previous four games at the Derry GAA headquarters prior to this clash and this was just the second time they scored more than two goals in a game.
The mid-season break clearly came at the perfect time for the Candystripes who had won just four games in their opening 20 games. Bohemians came into the game in second spot having won four of their previous five fixtures and the Dubliners got off to the perfect start.
Harry Vaughan, whose contract at Hull City expires this month, fired a thunderous strike from distance past Eddie Beach on 17 minutes.
Clarke levelled the match on 24 minutes when he calmly found the bottom corner of the net after Kevin Dos Santos picked him out in the six yard box. Northern Ireland U21 international Conor Barr put Derry ahead on 55 minutes with a spectacular effort – the 20-year-old’s first goal for his hometown club.
That was the first of three goals from the home side in the space of eight minutes as Derry turned on the style. Clarke struck the foot of the post on the hour mark but reacted quickly to fire in the rebound against his former club.
Two minutes later Dos Santos finished a lovely team move as City skipper Michael Duffy crossed from the left. It was all one-way traffic, and although Clarke missed the chance to complete a treble from the penalty spot, it was a much-needed win for the under-pressure Lynch as Derry remained unbeaten at Celtic Park.
A strong police presence was outside the ground following reports of a clash between Bohemians and Derry City fans at nearby Mailey’s Bar on the Lecky Road, but the trouble was fortunately contained and didn’t spill over inside the venue.
Bohs started brightly and two minutes in Dayle Rooney crossed towards the back post from a free-kick wide on the right. It was headed back across goal by Cian Byrne and Hickey flicked it onto the crossbar
From a corner kick, Dayle crossed deep towards former Derry centre half Sam Todd. At the other end, City captain Michael Duffy reached James Clarke’s cross from the right, but it bounced in front of him and his effort went straight into the hands of Paul Walters.
Dawson Devoy was brought crashing down inside the Derry penalty area by Barry Cotter who initially got the ball with an outstretched leg but caught the Bohs skipper with the follow-through. Referee Rob Hennessy brushed off the protests and awarded a corner kick.
The visitors broke the deadlock in some style through Vaughan who played a neat one-two with Ross Tierney and raced unopposed towards the Derry goal before firing a stunning strike past Eddie Beach from 25 yards.
It was the 10th time this season Derry conceded the first goal in a game across the opening 21 fixtures. Rooney cut inside on his left foot just inside the Derry penalty area to get away from Dos Santos and his goal-bound effort was parried away by Beach on 21 minutes.
Derry were back on level terms on 24 minutes following a mistake from ex-Candystripe Sadou Diallo who gifted the ball to Dos Santos inside the Bohemians box. The Portuguese winger picked out Clarke who took a touch onto his left foot and slotted confidently into the bottom corner.
Clarke got away from Hickey as Derry found themselves three on two and when the Meath man crossed across the face of goal Darragh Power did brilliantly to apply pressure on Duffy whose shot was turned behind by Walters at his near post.
From the resultant corner kick the keeper punched clear, but the ball fell kindly to Dummigan whose effort on the half volley sailed narrowly wide of the far post on 35 minutes.
Todd was fortunate as his clearance from Duffy’s cross sailed over his own crossbar on the stroke of half-time, with the teams going in level.
Lynch made a switch at the interval with Cotter replaced by James Olayinka. Dummigan dropped into centre back and Conor Barr moved out to right-back, and Olayinka took up a midfield position.
Clarke fired just wide of the post with a right-footed strike from just outside the Bohemians 18 yard box before Derry took the lead on 55 minutes. Clarke laid the ball into Barr’s path and the City defender rifled a spectacular strike into the net from 25 yards – the 20-year-old’s first goal for his hometown club.
Five minutes later Derry increased their lead as Clarke curled an effort off the post and reacted quickest to bundle the rebound into the net from close range.
Derry played with a swagger and added a fourth two minutes later. Olayinka burst forward from deep in the Bohs half before finding the run of Duffy on the left. The City skipper crossed low into the box and Dos Santos gleefully finished into the net.
Walters punched clear Duffy’s curling free-kick towards the near post with 15 minutes remaining as Derry searched for a fifth goal.
Zane Myers brought down Brandon Fleming inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Duffy handed the ball to Clarke who was on a hat-trick, but Walters made a great save at full stretch to turn away the ex-Bohs man’s spot-kick with 10 minutes to go.
Derry fully deserved the victory after a brilliant second-half display and Lynch will be hoping his side has turned a corner.
Derry City: Beach, Cotter (Olayinka h-t, Boyce 77), Barr, P McClean, Fleming; Markey (Downey 90), O’Reilly, Dummigan; Dos Santos (Rylah 87), Clarke, Duffy (J. McClean 87).
Bohemians: Walters, Hickey, Byrne (McDonnell 69), Todd; Power, Diallo (Flores 59), Devoy, Vaughan (Burke 69), Rooney (Parsons 59) ; Tierney (Myers 78); Whelan.
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Dublin).
****
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