St Patrick’s Athletic 2
Derry City 0
Niall Kelly reports from Richmond Park
GREG BOLGER DOESN’T score too many goals — but when he does, they tend to be a bit special.
The midfielder struck a spectacular lob from all of 45 yards to set Pat’s on the road to a deserved win against Derry.
It was Bolger’s first league goal in more than 18 months and immediately marked him out as an early contender for Goal of the Season. The only pity was that there was only a crowd of 942 there to witness it in Richmond Park.
Pat’s didn’t kill the game off until eight minutes from time when substitute Morgan Langley headed home on his debut to make it Hawaii 2-0.
Suspensions, injuries and international call-ups forced Liam Buckley to chop and change from the defeat in Dundalk.
Aaron Greene and Ciaran Kilduff came in for Conor McCormack and Killian Brennan, both suspended following their red cards on Friday night, while James Chambers started in unfamiliar surroundings on the right side of defence.
Captain Ryan McBride and Seamus Sharkey both returned to the Derry defence while Anthony Elding was recalled to lead the line in the visitors’ 4-5-1.
He had a quiet night, marshalled by Kenny Browne and Sean Hoare who ensured that chances were at a premium.
Pat’s on the other hand started to carve out opportunities from the off. Christy Fagan hesitated for a moment before trying to play in Aaron Greene in the sixth minute, just enough time to allow Shane McEleney to snuff out the danger.
Chambers pressed forward from the back when he could and he was unlucky not to open the scoring in the 20th minute. A clever drag-back took him inside Sean Houston before he fizzed his shot just wide.
Fagan did all the hard work five minutes later, pulling the ball back across the face of the Derry goal and inviting a touch from Kilduff that never came.
When Bolger struck on 35 minutes though, it was worth waiting for. When the ball broke in midfield, he spotted Doherty off his line and arced a perfect lob over the keeper’s head as he scrambled back in vain.
It was to be Doherty’s last involvement of the night. He was so disoriented as he tried to get back that he crashed into the back of his goal and had to be replaced by Shaun Patton.
Derry did have a chance to hit back in the eight minutes of first-half stoppage time but Elding’s header was weak.
And Pat’s had a loud penalty appeal waved away by referee Anthony Buttimer when Greene’s shot struck a Derry jersey.
Fagan was replaced at the break by Langley, his first appearance since signing from Harrisburg City Islanders in America.
Chances were few and far between in the second half with Derry not doing much to threaten Conor O’Malley’s goal, before Langley headed in Conan Byrne’s free-kick to seal the points.
St Pat’s: Conor O’Malley, James Chambers, Sean Hoare, Kenny Browne, Ian Bermingham (c), Conan Byrne, Greg Bolger, Chris Forrester, Aaron Greene, Ciaran Kilduff, Christy Fagan (Morgan Langley, HT).
Derry City: Ger Doherty (Shaun Patton, 43), Aaron Barry, Shane McEleney, Ryan McBride, Seamus Sharkey, Philip Lowry, Senan Clucas, Barry McNamee, Sean Houston (Joshua Daniels, 68), Patrick McEleney, Anthony Elding (Cillian Morrison, 76).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Attendance: 942
