St Patrick’s Athletic 4

Derry City 1

David Sneyd reports from Richmond Park

THE SAINTS GO marching on in some style as Derry City’s struggles deepen.

St Patrick’s Athletic cruised to a 4-1 win to go level on points in second place with the side who have aspirations to make a serious title race out of this Premier Divison campaign.

Instead, it will be Shamrock Rovers returning home from a comforable win in Sligo who now enjoy a four-point cushion at the top of the Premier Division.

But this victory, courtesy of goals from Jay McGrath, Eoin Doyle, Chris Forrester and Mark Doyle indicates the level of renewed spirit and belief at Richmond Park since the departure of Tim Clancy as manager.

Four difference scorers for a side who now have 18 goals in the seven games which Jon Daly has been in charge for tells you everything about the turnaround given they barely registered a shot on target in three tepid blanks during May.

“Jon Daly’s Red and White Army” a large section of the home support sang as they savoured victory during injury time.

Some change in atmosphere given he was placed in cartaker charge for his first game on 5 May.

One month later and 18 points from a possible 21 show why the Dubliner is now in permanent charge – the caveat being Rovers are the only side to beat them in that time.

The challenge for Pat’s is to use a victory like this as a catalyst for a sustained challenge which nobody really saw coming.

And yet even in the early exchanges here this kind of result didn’t look to be on the cards.

Patrick McEleney dropped to one knee in anguish at seeing his curled effort drift wide of the post on seven minutes for Derry, and it was the visitors who did all the early probing.

With the Derry skipper enjoying a free role, roving across the attacking third, the Candystripes had total control of the exchanges.

Backed up by the dynamic presence of Sadou Diallo and Cameron Dummigan in midfield, Derry didn’t look like a side without a win -or a goal – in their last two games.

It was an early authority that faded as the haf wore on.

Indeed, time between that McEleney sighter and the next serious chance illustrated why Derry have struggled.

While Cian Kavanagh offered an outlet leading the line there was a potency missing in the final third. Up until that vital point Derry looked good, yet all it took was one long ball into the left channel from McGrath and Pat’s had a golden opportunity to score in the 28th minute.

Centre back Mark Connolly was caught out and Eoin Doyle was in behind. He attempted to lob Brian Maher just as Shane McEleney arrived on the scene and perhaps the covering defender’s presence was the reason for his connection being far too firm.

Doyle would have his head in his hands again before the half-time whistle went yet he was celebrating with the rest of his teammates on 36 minutes when McGrath’s drilled effort from just shy of 25 yards was too hot to handle from Maher.

The 20-year-old defender, on loan here from Coventry City, was informed by his parent club that he was being released when his contract runs out at the end of this month.

So a moment like this was one to savour, striding on to a loose pass and being allowed get into a shooting position as a static Diallo watched on.

By the time Dummingan was alive to the danger it was too late, and Pat’s were one up. Three minutes later and it really should have been two when Conor Carty robbed Shane McEleney inside the defender’s own half, prodding the ball forward just before being taken down.

Doyle raced through and tried to give Maher the eyes, striking across his body only for the goalkeeper to save with his legs.

Pats were finishing the half much the better side, epitomised by the tenacious tackling of Jamie Lennon in midfield.

Doyle drilled a fierce effort just over the bar from outside the box two minutes before the interval and after such a slow start Pat’s wouldn’t have wanted the break to come.

They started the second period with the same kind of purpose, Chris Forrester finding space in a crowded box to fire a shot that was well saved by Maher.

But the drama really began after the hour mark, three goals in the space of five minutes having the 4,005 in attendance on tenterhooks.

Yet it was Pat’s smiling by the end.

Higgins tried to inspire a reaction from his players, a triple change on 53 minutes seeing Diallo and Patrick McEleney hooked, although the latter seemed distraught by the injury which ended his evening.

Shane McEleney was also called ashore with McJannet brought on.

The tinkering didn’t work.

Doyle eventually got his goal on 62 minutes after latching on to a similar long pass from McGrath as the first half. This time, though, he was able to get the ball under control and drive further into the area.

The veteran forward then opened his body and slotted into the far corner. It was his last action of the game as Pat’s made a double change to try and tighten things up for the last half hour.

It didn’t quite work out like that.

McJannett fired home from close range when the ball pinged around the Pat’s box on 65 minutes and just when it looked as thought they might be capable of stirring into life, their sloppinness from a set-piece cost them.

That it came just over 60 seconds later would only add to the annoyance. Substitute Thijs Timmermans clipped a neat corner to the front post and the unmarked Forrester was able to glance a header into the far corner.

It summed up Derry’s casual, lacklustre approach and Pat’s capitalised again before full time when another sub, Mark Doyle, raced through one on one and got the better of Maher.

Pat’s made their own luck as the visitors toiled.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Lyness; Curtis, Lewis, McGrath, Breslin; Carty (Lonergan 81), Lennon, Murphy (McClelland 75), Forrester (c) (Brockbank 81), McCormack (M Doyle 64); E Doyle (Timmermans 64).

Derry City: Maher; Boyce, Connolly, S McEleney (McJannet 53), Doherty; Graydon, Diallo (O’Reilly 53), P McEleney (c) (McEneff 53), Dummigan (B Kavaangh 67), Duffy (O’Neill H/T); C Kavanagh.

Referee: N Doyle (Dublin)