Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
MARK CONNOLLY COULD hardly have dreamt of a better start to his spell as Derry City’s interim manager as the Brandywell club let the shackles off during a comfortable win over bottom-of-the-table Sligo Rovers.
Second-half goals from Barry Cotter and Adam O’Reilly clinched a seventh league win of the season, and it could’ve been a much wider margin as both James Clarke and Michael Duffy struck the woodwork.
Derry’s Director of Football, Connolly, who made 115 appearances for the Foylesiders during a three-year spell as a player, took his place in the dugout following the sudden departure of former boss Tiernan Lynch midweek after his turbulent 18-month tenure.
With former Derry winger and ex-Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn alongside him following his arrival as first team coach from Peterhead United, it was an encouraging start to his reign and the perfect addition for the permanent post should he want it.
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It was only the fourth win at Brandywell this season and a seventh clean sheet, moving Derry to within a point of fifth placed Shelbourne.
James McClean was conspicious by his absence raising questions over his future at the club as the Ireland centurion posted a photograph of himself watching his former club Wrexham at home on the TV.
Connolly made four changes to the team which started the 1-1 draw against St Pat’s at Richmond Park last Sunday – Lynch’s last of 70 matches in charge of the Candystripes.
In came Cotter, Cameron Dummigan, Patrick McClean and Liam Boyce in an attacking-minded line-up. Eight points separated the teams before kick-off and the opening 45 minutes were all one-way traffic, but Derry failed to capitalise on a string of chances.
Liam Boyce sent a glancing header over the crossbar from Darragh Burns’ inswinging cross from the right with the first of those opportunities after five minutes.
When Brooklyn Lyons-Foster crossed dangerously with the outside of his right boot towards Clarke at the back post on 15 minutes, the Meath man’s diving header crashed off the inside of the post but Sligo cleared the danger.
City skipper Duffy stepped up to take a free-kick from 25 yards after Adam O’Reilly was brought down by Carl McHugh but curled his effort wide of the mark.
Two minutes later Duffy should’ve scored when he received a pass from Burns, turned Oliver Denham but screwed his shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
Just after the half hour mark Cotter’s shot inside a crowded penalty area was blocked and Dummigan’s follow-up on the half volley was saved comfortably by Sam Sargeant. Duffy fizzed a pass into the path of Burns six minutes before the end of the first half and the former Grimsby Town winger’s strike from a tight angle at the near post was parried clear by the Sligo keeper as the teams went in scoreless at the break.
Seven minutes into the second half Duffy attempted to find the far corner with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box which deflected behind for a corner.
Burns delivered the corner and Cotter headed into the net at the back post to break the deadlock – the Ennis man’s second goal for the club.
Derry began turning on the style and Duffy’s powerful 25 yard effort crashed off the crossbar.
10 minutes later, Derry doubled their advantage after Boyce returned a pass to O’Reilly, who broke through the Sligo defence and fired low past Sargeant. Sub Conor Barr rifled a ferocious strike from 30 yards towards goal on 78 minutes forcing Sargeant into a superb save at full stretch to keep it out as Derry finished strongly.
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Duffy, determined to get in on the scoring act, tried his luck from distance on 89 minutes and again Sargeant brilliantly turned it away at his near post.
It was the perfect start to Connolly’s reign as the mood at Brandywell took a significant upturn.
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Cotter and O'Reilly on target as Derry City start Connolly interim spell with victory
Derry City 2
Sligo Rovers 0
Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
MARK CONNOLLY COULD hardly have dreamt of a better start to his spell as Derry City’s interim manager as the Brandywell club let the shackles off during a comfortable win over bottom-of-the-table Sligo Rovers.
Second-half goals from Barry Cotter and Adam O’Reilly clinched a seventh league win of the season, and it could’ve been a much wider margin as both James Clarke and Michael Duffy struck the woodwork.
Derry’s Director of Football, Connolly, who made 115 appearances for the Foylesiders during a three-year spell as a player, took his place in the dugout following the sudden departure of former boss Tiernan Lynch midweek after his turbulent 18-month tenure.
With former Derry winger and ex-Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn alongside him following his arrival as first team coach from Peterhead United, it was an encouraging start to his reign and the perfect addition for the permanent post should he want it.
It was only the fourth win at Brandywell this season and a seventh clean sheet, moving Derry to within a point of fifth placed Shelbourne.
James McClean was conspicious by his absence raising questions over his future at the club as the Ireland centurion posted a photograph of himself watching his former club Wrexham at home on the TV.
Connolly made four changes to the team which started the 1-1 draw against St Pat’s at Richmond Park last Sunday – Lynch’s last of 70 matches in charge of the Candystripes.
In came Cotter, Cameron Dummigan, Patrick McClean and Liam Boyce in an attacking-minded line-up. Eight points separated the teams before kick-off and the opening 45 minutes were all one-way traffic, but Derry failed to capitalise on a string of chances.
Liam Boyce sent a glancing header over the crossbar from Darragh Burns’ inswinging cross from the right with the first of those opportunities after five minutes.
When Brooklyn Lyons-Foster crossed dangerously with the outside of his right boot towards Clarke at the back post on 15 minutes, the Meath man’s diving header crashed off the inside of the post but Sligo cleared the danger.
City skipper Duffy stepped up to take a free-kick from 25 yards after Adam O’Reilly was brought down by Carl McHugh but curled his effort wide of the mark.
Two minutes later Duffy should’ve scored when he received a pass from Burns, turned Oliver Denham but screwed his shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
Just after the half hour mark Cotter’s shot inside a crowded penalty area was blocked and Dummigan’s follow-up on the half volley was saved comfortably by Sam Sargeant. Duffy fizzed a pass into the path of Burns six minutes before the end of the first half and the former Grimsby Town winger’s strike from a tight angle at the near post was parried clear by the Sligo keeper as the teams went in scoreless at the break.
Seven minutes into the second half Duffy attempted to find the far corner with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box which deflected behind for a corner.
Burns delivered the corner and Cotter headed into the net at the back post to break the deadlock – the Ennis man’s second goal for the club.
Derry began turning on the style and Duffy’s powerful 25 yard effort crashed off the crossbar.
10 minutes later, Derry doubled their advantage after Boyce returned a pass to O’Reilly, who broke through the Sligo defence and fired low past Sargeant. Sub Conor Barr rifled a ferocious strike from 30 yards towards goal on 78 minutes forcing Sargeant into a superb save at full stretch to keep it out as Derry finished strongly.
Duffy, determined to get in on the scoring act, tried his luck from distance on 89 minutes and again Sargeant brilliantly turned it away at his near post.
It was the perfect start to Connolly’s reign as the mood at Brandywell took a significant upturn.
Derry City: Maher; Cotter (Smith 74), Dummigan, P. McClean, Lyons-Foster; Burns (Barr 65), O’Reilly, Twisk (Olayinka 74), Duffy; Clarke; Boyce (Chapman 83);
Sligo Rovers: Sargeant; Esua, Denham, McElroy, McDonagh (Stewart 64); O’Kane (Nolan 55), Quirk (McGonigle 64), George (McManus 55), Shorrock, McHugh; Kavanagh.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
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