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Derry City's Jordon McEneff celebrates a goal with Ben Doherty and Shane McEleney. Tom Maher/INPHO
students schooled

McEneff shines as Derry put four past UCD

McEneff scored twice as Derry cruised to a 4-0 win at the UCD Bowl.

UCD 0

Derry City 4

Brendan Graham reports from UCD Bowl

DERRY CITY CRUISED to an easy 4-0 victory over UCD this evening with a brace from the impressive Jordan McEneff teaching the Students a harsh lesson.

A game that began with pace from both sides saw Derry with the early questions for Healy in the UCD goal.

A quick one-two between Diallo and Boyce on 10 minutes concluded with Boyce whipping a dangerous ball right into the UCD box but O’Brien watched it all the way before hastily scooping the ball over his own bar. An early warning sign of Derry’s potential in attack.

On 15 minutes Derry took the lead courtesy of Jordan McEneff, the visitors again potent in attack. The Derry midfielder curled an unstoppable effort past Healy and into the top corner to give his side the lead.

Graydon was initially denied by a brilliant stop from Healy but the save with his feet saw the ball come back out to McEneff who made no mistake.

UCD responded brilliantly after conceding. Despite having to defend deep in their own half for the majority of the opening 45 minutes, UCD dealt with the pressure reasonably well, limiting their opponents to shots from distance as the first half drew to a close.

The possession continued for the visitors though and their quality on the ball was rewarded just short of half time when McEneff got his second of the night.

Brandon Kavanagh was the architect for McEneff this time with the midfielder doing very well to find a small pocket of space between the back four and the midfield before threading a perfectly weighted ball for McEneff to run on to. Healy’s attempts to beat the Derry midfielder to the ball were brave but McEneff stroked the ball past the goalkeeper and into an empty net for his second of the night.

UCD began the second half brightly, slowly building momentum with half chances coming the way of Ciaran Behan and Dara Keane but struggled to ask any real questions of Brian Maher in goal with a real lack of cutting edge in attack.

Derry all but wrapped up the game on 65 minutes with Ollie O’Neill scoring with his first touch of the game. Healy hesitated for a split second with his kick out and against the top teams any doubt at all will be ruthlessly punished. O’Neill cheekily nicked the ball off Healy and having rounded him walked the ball into the net.

A slice of good fortune for Will Patching led to Derry’s fourth goal of the evening with his free kick taking a wicked deflection before dribbling into the far corner of the net.

UCD: Lorcan Healy; Harvey O’Brien (Evan Osam 65), Jesse Dempsey (Adam Wells 65), Jack Keany, Mark Dignam; Alex Nolan (Danu Kinsella Bishop 72), Dara Keane (Divine Izekor 72), Brendan Barr, Donal Higgins; Ciaran Behan, Daniel Norris (Harvey O’Connor 81)

Derry City: Brian Maher; Ben Doherty, Shane McEleney, Mark Connolly (Ciaran Coll 70), Ronan Boyce; Brandon Kavanagh (Jamie McGonigle 63), Sadou Diallo, Wiliam Patching (Evan Mcaughlin 77), Jordan McEneff, Ryan Graydon (Matthew James Ward 70); Cian Kavanagh (Ollie O’Neill 63)

Referee: David Dunne

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