Simon Collins reports from Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC MICHAEL Duffy spared Derry City’s blushes with a second half hat-trick to complete a remarkable comeback against Waterford at Brandywell.
Tiernan Lynch’s side trailed by a 2-0 deficit after a first half tap-in from Jorgen Voilas and a 51st minute penalty from Tommy Lonergan.
The Foylesiders looked devoid of ideas until last season’s PFAI Player of the Year came to the rescue, scoring a downward header at the back post just before the hour mark.
The skipper volleyed into the net from Henry Rylah’s cross for the equaliser on 75 minutes as Lynch’s substitutes made the difference.
Dipo Akinyemi headed emphatically into the net in the 91st minute to put Derry in front before Duffy completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot three minutes later after John Mahon handled in the area.
It was the fourth stoppage time goal scored by Derry in their opening four matches at Brandywell.
Lynch handed a debut to new signing Barry Cotter, brought in to address an imbalance on the right side.
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Cotter’s first involvement was promising: he skipped past Couto and neatly flicked the ball into Clarke’s path after three minutes. The ball moved quickly towards Whyte at the far post who crossed low toward Thomas, but McMullan gathered cleanly.
McMullan made an excellent save, denying Carl Winchester’s strike from 12 yards after the Belfast man took a deft touch to get away from Couto.
Waterford broke the deadlock in the 19th minute following a mix-up involving Fleming and Beach in the Derry defence. Conan Noonan played a clever ball over the top and Fleming attempted a cushioned header back to his keeper. Beach misjudged his run and the ball sailed over his head leaving Voilas with an easy tap-in.
It was a comedy of errors and it could’ve been worse two minutes later when Beach gathered Padraig Amond’s wide effort from the left at the second attempt.
Derry were dealt another blow when Winchester hobbled off injured and O’Reilly replaced him.
The Blues’ keeper produced a smart one-handed save at full stretch to deny Whyte’s low strike from just inside the penalty area on 41 minutes.
Derry trailed at half-time for the third time in four matches and were booed off by a section of the home support.
It went from bad to worse for Derry as O’Reilly brought down Lonergan for a penalty kick six minutes after the break. The former Fleetwood Town player stepped up to take the spotkick himself and fired into the net off the inside of the post.
Derry needed a lifeline and who else but Duffy stepped up to head Thomas’ cross past McMullan, reducing the deficit in the 58th minute.
Moments later, Duffy stepped inside and curled a blistering strike goalwards forcing McMullan to turn the ball over the crossbar with another superb save in the 63rd minute.
O’Reilly narrowly fired wide of the target as Derry pressed for an equaliser. Lynch went to his bench and made a triple substitution, bringing on ex-Waterford man James Olayinka, Alex Bannon, and Henry Rylah for James McClean, Whyte, and Cotter.
Rylah immediately made an impact, crossing from the right towards Duffy at the back post. The winger then chested the ball down before rifling it into the far corner on the volley with 15 minutes remaining.
Waterford sub, Conor Carty held off Jamie Stott inside the Derry penalty area and struck a ferocious effort off the near post.
With five minutes of additional time signalled by the fourth official, Akinyemi needed just one to give Derry a stoppage-time lead with an emphatic header from Duffy’s inswinging free-kick.
O’Reilly’s strike was charged down by Mahon inside the area and match referee Paul Norton pointed to the spot. Duffy tucked away the resultant spot kick to complete the comeback.
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Duffy rescues Derry City as second-half hat-trick completes remarkable comeback
Derry City 4
Waterford 2
Simon Collins reports from Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC MICHAEL Duffy spared Derry City’s blushes with a second half hat-trick to complete a remarkable comeback against Waterford at Brandywell.
Tiernan Lynch’s side trailed by a 2-0 deficit after a first half tap-in from Jorgen Voilas and a 51st minute penalty from Tommy Lonergan.
The Foylesiders looked devoid of ideas until last season’s PFAI Player of the Year came to the rescue, scoring a downward header at the back post just before the hour mark.
The skipper volleyed into the net from Henry Rylah’s cross for the equaliser on 75 minutes as Lynch’s substitutes made the difference.
Dipo Akinyemi headed emphatically into the net in the 91st minute to put Derry in front before Duffy completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot three minutes later after John Mahon handled in the area.
It was the fourth stoppage time goal scored by Derry in their opening four matches at Brandywell.
Lynch handed a debut to new signing Barry Cotter, brought in to address an imbalance on the right side.
Cotter’s first involvement was promising: he skipped past Couto and neatly flicked the ball into Clarke’s path after three minutes. The ball moved quickly towards Whyte at the far post who crossed low toward Thomas, but McMullan gathered cleanly.
McMullan made an excellent save, denying Carl Winchester’s strike from 12 yards after the Belfast man took a deft touch to get away from Couto.
Waterford broke the deadlock in the 19th minute following a mix-up involving Fleming and Beach in the Derry defence. Conan Noonan played a clever ball over the top and Fleming attempted a cushioned header back to his keeper. Beach misjudged his run and the ball sailed over his head leaving Voilas with an easy tap-in.
It was a comedy of errors and it could’ve been worse two minutes later when Beach gathered Padraig Amond’s wide effort from the left at the second attempt.
Derry were dealt another blow when Winchester hobbled off injured and O’Reilly replaced him.
The Blues’ keeper produced a smart one-handed save at full stretch to deny Whyte’s low strike from just inside the penalty area on 41 minutes.
Derry trailed at half-time for the third time in four matches and were booed off by a section of the home support.
It went from bad to worse for Derry as O’Reilly brought down Lonergan for a penalty kick six minutes after the break. The former Fleetwood Town player stepped up to take the spotkick himself and fired into the net off the inside of the post.
Derry needed a lifeline and who else but Duffy stepped up to head Thomas’ cross past McMullan, reducing the deficit in the 58th minute.
Moments later, Duffy stepped inside and curled a blistering strike goalwards forcing McMullan to turn the ball over the crossbar with another superb save in the 63rd minute.
O’Reilly narrowly fired wide of the target as Derry pressed for an equaliser. Lynch went to his bench and made a triple substitution, bringing on ex-Waterford man James Olayinka, Alex Bannon, and Henry Rylah for James McClean, Whyte, and Cotter.
Rylah immediately made an impact, crossing from the right towards Duffy at the back post. The winger then chested the ball down before rifling it into the far corner on the volley with 15 minutes remaining.
Waterford sub, Conor Carty held off Jamie Stott inside the Derry penalty area and struck a ferocious effort off the near post.
With five minutes of additional time signalled by the fourth official, Akinyemi needed just one to give Derry a stoppage-time lead with an emphatic header from Duffy’s inswinging free-kick.
O’Reilly’s strike was charged down by Mahon inside the area and match referee Paul Norton pointed to the spot. Duffy tucked away the resultant spot kick to complete the comeback.
Derry City: Beach; Cotter (Bannon 71), P. McClean, Stott, Fleming; Whyte (Rylah 71), Winchester (O’Reilly 39), J. McClean (Olayinka 71), Duffy; Clarke (Akinyemi 54); Thomas.
Waterford: McMullan; Couto, Mahon, Cann, Barrett; Violas (McMenamy 66), Heeney, Noonan, Coyle (Carty 76); Lonergan (Faria 79), Amond.
Referee: Paul Norton.
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