Sligo Rovers 0
Derry City 1
Jessica Farry reports from The Showgrounds
DERRY CITY PICKED up their first win of the season as life under new manager Ruaidhri Higgins started perfectly.
The Candystripes inflicted a first defeat of the season on Liam Buckley’s Sligo Rovers, who started their campaign in superb fashion.
Will Patching’s 50th-minute penalty was the difference between the two sides in what was not a classic. Derry parted ways with manager Declan Devine mid-week, after the Candystripes drew two games on the bounce having lost their first four.
Former player Ruaidhri Higgins took the reins on Friday morning, signing a three-and-a-half year deal.
His first game in charge presented a difficult task, with Derry, who sat bottom of the table, facing an unbeaten Sligo Rovers side who have picked up four wins and two draws this season.
Wins for Shamrock Rovers and St. Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night meant that Rovers were three points off the lead coming into this game.
Liam Buckley made one change from the side that defeated Bohemians 3-1 during the week, with captain David Cawley coming in for Walter Figueira.Will Patching returned to the Derry City starting 11, with Daniel Lafferty dropping to the bench.
The first half won’t live long in the memory, with neither keeper being really tested in the early stages, with Rovers trying their luck from distance, while David Parkhouse was well marshalled by the home rearguard.
Will Patching’s effort was way off target but it did serve as a warning for the hosts, while Nathan Gartside had to be alert to come off his line in order to get there ahead of Romeo Parkes who linked up nicely with Johnny Kenny.
With four minutes of the second half underway, the visitors were awarded a penalty when John Mahon was adjudged to have committed the foul in the box.
Dundalk loanee Patching coolly slotted his spot kick past Ed McGinty.
The Bit O’Red huffed and puffed as they tried to find an equaliser, but they found it impossible as Derry stood tall and defended impressively.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty, Colm Horgan, John Mahon, Garry Buckley, Robbie McCourt (Regan Donelon, 46), Jordan Gibson (Darren Collins, 80), Greg Bolger, David Cawley, Niall Morahan (Lewis Banks, 69), Romeo Parkes (Mark Byrne, 69), Johnny Kenny (Ryan De Vries, 80)
Derry City: Nathan Gartside, Ciaran Coll (Daniel Lafferty, 72), Ciaron Harkin, Eoin Toal, Will Fitzgerald, Will Patching, Ronan Boyle, Cameron McJannet, Jack Malone (Joe Thomson, 62), David Parkhouse (Brendan Barr, 80), James Akintunde.
Referee: John McLoughlin.