Derry City 3
Waterford 0

PAT HOBAN NETTED a hat-trick against 10-man Waterford tonight to take his tally to six goals in five as Derry City recorded a third win on the spin at Brandywell.

The former Dundalk hitman walked off with the match ball, opening his account with a 41st minute strike. Few will argue with the Galwegian who has hit the ground running since making his high-profile close season switch from Dundalk.

Hoban doubled Derry’s lead in first half stoppage time with a beautifully crafted overhead kick from 12 yards and when Darragh Leahy was handed his marching orders for bringing down Paul McMullan inside the penalty area on 52 minutes, up stepped the City striker to send the spot kick into the bottom corner.

It was his six goal for his new club, remarkably Derry’s highest scoring striker hit five last season.

On a night former City No.2 Alan Reynolds returned to the Brandywell dugouts, it was Ruaidhri Higgins who gained the upper hand on his former assistant.

The big news for the Foylesiders was the return of skipper Patrick McEleney to the bench having missed the previous two games with a thigh injury.

Neither keeper was troubled in the opening stages but Brian Maher failed to connect with his punch when Parson’s snapshot was deflected into the air inside the six yard box but Waterford couldn’t capitalise and Derry cleared it behind for a corner.

Derry should’ve hit the front on the half hour mark when Hoban controlled Maher’s pass brilliantly before playing a first time ball over the top for Kelly who ran in behind the Waterford defence. but the winger somehow missed the target with his right footed strike from just inside the box.

Four minutes before the break McMullan played a quick free-kick to set Duffy free on the left and the winger crossed low towards Hoban and the striker’s close range strike found the net.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time Derry doubled their lead when Ben Doherty floated a free-kick into the penalty area and when Connolly headed back across the goalmouth, Hoban reacted quickest and found the bottom corner with a beautifully taken overhead kick from 12 yards for his fourth goal in five matches.

McJannet played McMullan through on goal with a lovely pass down the left flank and when the Scotsman ran across Leahy the Waterford defender clipped his heels referee Paul Norton pointed to the penalty spot. The match official went to his pocket and flashed a red card to Leahy for the offence and Hoban stepped up with his second successful spotkick in succession for the Candystripes.

Duffy hobbled off the pitch as Derry’s injury issues continued, Connolly and Adam O’Reilly both also went off to add to the Brandywell club’s mounting problems.

It was a procession for Derry in the final stages and McEneff threatened to inflict further misery on the league’s newcomers with an effort from distance which was claimed at the second attempt by Sargeant in stoppage time.

Derry remain unbeaten after five games and stretched their unbeaten home record to an impressive 14 league matches.

Derry City

Maher; Boyce, Connolly, McJannet, Doherty; O’Reilly ( Todd 69), McEneff, McMullan; Kelly, Hoban, Duffy (Mullen 54).

Subs Not Used – Ryan, Coll, P. McEleney, McGinty. Patton, O’Donnell.

Waterford

Sargeant; Power (Forde 28), Leahy, Radkowski (McCourt 58), Burke , Horton, Baggley, Macadam (Akachukwu 6, 82); Parsons (McCormack, 82), Asamoah (McDonald, 57); Amond.

Subs Not Used – Connor, O’Keefe. Arubi, McMenamy.

Referee: Paul Norton.