St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Derry City 0
Dave Donnelly reports from Richmond Park
CHRIS FORRESTER SCORED the only goal of the game as 10-man St Patrick’s Athletic held on to beat Derry City and move back into a share a lead in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table.
The Saints played the final half-hour a man short after auxiliary right back Jamie Lennon was shown a second yellow for a foul on James Akintunde, but the home side held on for a first win in three.
With Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers out of action due to their European exploits, manager Stephen O’Donnell knew a convincing win would see them steal a march on their rivals.
They seemed well on their way to doing just that as they led at the break and missed a host of chances to extend their lead early in the second half.
O’Donnell had been forced to field midfielders Lennon and Jay McClelland in the full-back slots after Lee Desmond and Ian Bermingham were dismissed last week.
And their indiscipline would create unnecessary pressure once more on the hour as Lennon saw red for a mistimed lunge – the Saints fourth red card in three games.
Seventeen-year-old James Abankwah was thrust in for his debut for the final half-hour, having signed his first pro contract this week, and put in an assured performance as Derry laid siege to the Pats box.
It was all a very different picture from the one expressed until the hour as the Athletic played with a poise and confidence that had deserted them in recent weeks.
Derry did manage to fashion the first chance as Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, who returned to the Brandywell on loan from Dundalk this week, forced Vitezslaw Jaros into a smart stop.
Darragh Burns, 18, was an increasing threat wide on the right for the Saints, and he forced Danny Lafferty into a vital intervention midway through the half.
And he was in the thick of it as the Athletic took the lead shortly afterwards as Darren Cole lost the ball in midfield and the winger’s shot was blocked.
Burns regained possession and crossed for Rónán Coughlan, who touched the ball down for the arriving Forrester to plant in the top corner of Nathan Gartside’s net.
Despite having little of the ball, Derry should have been level at the break, but Lafferty managed to glance Jack Malone’s cross wide of the empty net.
Saints upped the tempo after the break and had three quick chances to double their lead, Benson first teeing up Burns to lash over before Matty Smith curled wide.
Smith spurned another chance moments later as Burns stroked in an inch-perfect cross, but he couldn’t keep his header down from six yards out.
Cameron McJannett went close with an ambitious overhead kick before Lennon’s mis-step changed the complexion of the game completely.
Derry boss Ruaidhrí Higgins brought on teenager Evan McLaughlin, who scored in the 2-0 win over Waterford last week, as they moved to a flat back four.
Captain Eoin Toal was desperately unlucky to see his header from Malone’s pin-point corner smash back off the bar, but the home side looked progressively more comfortable as the clock ticked down.
Lafferty flashed a volley wide of the post and McLaughlin pulled a shot past the post late on, but Pats finished the game on the front foot as they closed it out with ease.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Vitezlsav Jaros; Jamie Lennon, Paddy Barrett, Sam Bone, Jay McClelland; Alfie Lewis (James Abankwah 62), Chris Forrester, Robbie Benson; Darragh Burns (Ben McCormack 74), Matty Smith, Rónán Coughlan (Billy King 27).
Derry City: Nathan Gartside; Eoin Toal, Cameron McJannett, Ciaran Coll (Evan McLaughlin 59); Ronan Boyce, Darren Cole (Will Fitzgerald 54), Ciaron Harkin, Jack Malone (Patrick Ferry 72), Danny Lafferty; Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, James Akintunde.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).