Derry City 1
Dundalk 2
DUNDALK WARMED UP for Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League Group Stage meeting with Molde with a precious victory over Derry City on a wet and wintry night at Brandywell.
Two goals inside eight first half minutes from Sean Murray and Jordan Flores proved enough for the Lilywhites despite Darren Cole pulling one back for the home side on 18 minutes.
It was a much changed Dundalk starting XI but they had enough firepower to strengthen their grip on third place and the third automatic European spot.
As for Derry, the Foylesiders remain third from bottom with just two league fixtures remaining.
Declan Devine made three changes from Derry’s last outing against Waterford 17 days ago as Darren Cole, Adam Hammill and Ibrahim Meite returned to the starting line-up.
City skipper Conor McCormack missed out through suspension but the Brandywell club welcomed back Gerardo Bruna and Joe Thomson who made the bench following long lay-offs.
With one eye on that opening Europa League fixture against the Norweigians, Fillippo Giovagnoli made seven changes from the team held at home to Bohemians last Friday night.
Chris Shields, Gary Rogers, Pat Hoban and Patrick McEleney were all among the substitutes. Regardless, it was a strong line-up and David McMillan was denied by the feet of Peter Cherrie on four minutes after the striker got onto the end of Sean Gannon’s low cross.
Former City midfielder Greg Sloggett then charged his way past Ciaron Harkin and into the penalty area before laying the ball into the path of Murray who fired clinically into the top corner to give the visitors a seventh minute lead.
Stefan Colovic came close to adding a second when the ball broke to him at the edge of the Derry box but his shot on the half volley sailed just wide.
On 15 minutes Dundalk capitalised on a mis-hit back pass from Conor Clifford as Flores slotted past the helpless Cherrie for the Lilywhites 50th league goal scored at the Brandywell.
Derry pulled one back three minutes later. Adam Hammill swung in a dangerous free-kick from wide on the left and Cameron McJannett’s header deflected off the back of McMillan on the line. However, Cole reacted quickest and found the corner of the net with a composed finish.
Walter Figueira flashed a shot across the face of goal after getting past Gannon on the left wing but no one could get a vital touch to turn it past Aaron McCarey.
Ibrahim Meite scuffed a shot into the hands of McCarey from 16 yards after Clifford had dispossessed the retreating McMillan.
There was a strong shout from the Dundalk bench for a backpass five minutes before the break when Cole slid in ahead of Michael Duffy to touch the ball back to Cherrie who picked it up, however, the referee waved away the protests.
At the other end Figueria cut inside from the left and his right footed strike from the edge of the box was parried clear by McCarey as Derry finished the half strongest.
Giovagnoli waited just six second half minutes before making a double substitution as Shields and Hoban replaced Flores and McMillan respectively.
The Dundalk boss went to his bench once again on the hour mark with the experienced Mountney and McEleney entering the fray as the visitors attempted to see out the win.
McCarey produced a terrific fingertip save to turn behind Conor Clifford’s 25 yard strike for a corner on 82 minutes.
And from the resultant short corner Jack Malone fired a powerful shot from the edge of the area towards goal but again McCarey saved superbly to deny the Candystripes an equaliser.
There were claims for a handball inside a crowded Dundalk penalty area but the referee wasn’t impressed.
City substitute Gerardo Bruna tried his luck from a free-kick in the final minute but his effort sailed wide of the far post.
McEleney then tested Cherrie with a clever curling free-kick around the Derry wall but the Scotsman parried clear in stoppage time.
Dundalk saw the game out despite late pressure as they turn their attention to the visit of Molde to Tallaght.
Derry City: P. Cherrie: D. Cole (C. Horgan 63), E. Toal, C. McJannett, C. Coll: A. Hammill, C. Clifford, C. Harkin, J. Malone (J. Thomson 83), W. Figueira: I. Meite (G. Bruna 70): Subs Not Used – N. Gartside, J. Dunwoody, R. Boyce, M. McChrystal.
Dundalk: A. McCarey; S. Gannon, A. Boyle, D. Cleary, D. Leahy; M. Duffy (C. Dummigan 84), G. Sloggett, S. Murray (J. Mountney 61), S. Colovic (P. McEleney 61); J. Flores (C. Shields 52); D. McMillan (P. Hoban 52): Subs Not Used – G. Rogers, B. Gartland.
Referee – Rob Harvey.