Simon Collins reports from Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
ADAM O’REILLY NETTED the winner as Derry City’s revival under interim boss Mark Connolly continued with a victory over Galway United at a rain swept Brandywell.
The Candystripes moved into fourth spot with the win – a fifth from eight under Connolly in all competitions – with four games to go.
Since Connolly took over from Tiernan Lynch at the start of August, the Brandywell outfit have taken 11 points from a possible 18 in the league, and are unbeaten in five.
This was a precursor for the FAI Cup semi-final clash between the teams at Eamonn Deacy Park on 10 October, and it promised to be a difficult test for Derry who failed to win in three clashes with the Tribesmen this season.
It wasn’t pretty, but Derry could’ve won by more in a game of limited chances and the in-form O’Reilly made the difference with a close range strike moments before half-time.
O’Reilly, who scored a goal of the season contender from 40 yards in Waterford on Monday, was lively from the offset and tried his luck from distance 11 minutes into the match, but it sailed narrowly over.
Chapman sent a searching cross into the six yard box towards Smith, but the Englishman didn’t gamble and it bounced agonisingly wide of the far post on 23 minutes.
Cameron Dummigan slid across a slippery Brandywell surface in the 27th minute to prevent Walsh from getting a shot on target from eight yards with a brilliantly timed challenge.
Moments before the half-time break the ball broke to Walsh who attempted an overhead kick from just inside the penalty area, but Tom Norcott gathered cleanly.
Derry finally got a breakthrough when Brandon Fleming played Duffy in behind and the winger’s low cross deflected off the boot of Wasiri Williams and into the path of O’Reilly, who fired into the net despite Da Cunha’s best efforts to keep it out.
It was the Corkman’s sixth goal of the season and a valuable one – his third in six league matches under Connolly.
City skipper Duffy, who was chasing his seventh goal in seven consecutive games, came so close with a curling free-kick from the edge of the box which whistled over the crossbar eight minutes into the second half.
Derry were churning through the gears and should’ve doubled their lead on 54 minutes when Duffy sent a cross across the face of goal with the outside of his boot but Da Cunha did enough to distract Smith who failed to connect with the goal at his mercy.
Moments later O’Reilly’s cross was charged down inside the penalty area, and Burns struck the rebound into the side netting.
Derry were in control for the remainder of the match despite a late rally from the Tribesmen. It has been a productive week for Connolly’s troops who secured seven points from three difficult fixtures over the past seven days.
Derry will have time to prepare for that rematch against John Caulfield’s side in the cup next month but Galway return to action against Shelbourne next Friday night.
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O'Reilly's goal the difference as Derry's revival continues
Derry City 1
Galway United 0
Simon Collins reports from Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
ADAM O’REILLY NETTED the winner as Derry City’s revival under interim boss Mark Connolly continued with a victory over Galway United at a rain swept Brandywell.
The Candystripes moved into fourth spot with the win – a fifth from eight under Connolly in all competitions – with four games to go.
Since Connolly took over from Tiernan Lynch at the start of August, the Brandywell outfit have taken 11 points from a possible 18 in the league, and are unbeaten in five.
This was a precursor for the FAI Cup semi-final clash between the teams at Eamonn Deacy Park on 10 October, and it promised to be a difficult test for Derry who failed to win in three clashes with the Tribesmen this season.
It wasn’t pretty, but Derry could’ve won by more in a game of limited chances and the in-form O’Reilly made the difference with a close range strike moments before half-time.
O’Reilly, who scored a goal of the season contender from 40 yards in Waterford on Monday, was lively from the offset and tried his luck from distance 11 minutes into the match, but it sailed narrowly over.
Chapman sent a searching cross into the six yard box towards Smith, but the Englishman didn’t gamble and it bounced agonisingly wide of the far post on 23 minutes.
Cameron Dummigan slid across a slippery Brandywell surface in the 27th minute to prevent Walsh from getting a shot on target from eight yards with a brilliantly timed challenge.
Moments before the half-time break the ball broke to Walsh who attempted an overhead kick from just inside the penalty area, but Tom Norcott gathered cleanly.
Derry finally got a breakthrough when Brandon Fleming played Duffy in behind and the winger’s low cross deflected off the boot of Wasiri Williams and into the path of O’Reilly, who fired into the net despite Da Cunha’s best efforts to keep it out.
It was the Corkman’s sixth goal of the season and a valuable one – his third in six league matches under Connolly.
City skipper Duffy, who was chasing his seventh goal in seven consecutive games, came so close with a curling free-kick from the edge of the box which whistled over the crossbar eight minutes into the second half.
Derry were churning through the gears and should’ve doubled their lead on 54 minutes when Duffy sent a cross across the face of goal with the outside of his boot but Da Cunha did enough to distract Smith who failed to connect with the goal at his mercy.
Moments later O’Reilly’s cross was charged down inside the penalty area, and Burns struck the rebound into the side netting.
Derry were in control for the remainder of the match despite a late rally from the Tribesmen. It has been a productive week for Connolly’s troops who secured seven points from three difficult fixtures over the past seven days.
Derry will have time to prepare for that rematch against John Caulfield’s side in the cup next month but Galway return to action against Shelbourne next Friday night.
DERRY CITY: Norcott; Dummigan, Stott, McClean, Fleming; Twisk, O’Reilly, Chapman (Clarke 72); Burns (Dos Santos 72), Smith (Boyce 72), Duffy.
GALWAY UNITED: Da Cunha; O’Connor, Barrett (Kazeem 82) Keohane, Walsh (Pierrot 71), Bolger, Hurley (Connolly 73) Twardek (Lomboto 73), Facchineri, Williams, Devitt.
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