Derry City hammer UCD to pick up another Brandywell win

Derry City 4

UCD 1

Two goals from Michael Duffy helped Derry City to a comfortable win over UCD in a one-sided game at the Brandywell. 

What was expected to be an east night for the Candystripes proved to be just that as Ruaidhri Higgins' team dominated from start to finish. 

Jordan McEneff continued his excellent season by scoring the opening goal just 13 minutes in to give Derry City the perfect start, heading home from Duffy’s cross for his sixth goal of the season.

The hosts needed just five minutes of the second half before they doubled their lead, with Will Patching back-heeling the ball into the path of Duffy, who slammed the ball past Moore.

Duffy then made it 3-0 on 65 minute when he got on the end of Brandon Kavanagh’s pass and calmly hooked the ball over the advancing Moore for his fifth goal of the season.

UCD did manage to get one back 15 minutes from time when Adam Wells bundled the ball home from close range following a corner from Harry O’Connor.

UCD could then have grabbed another only for a brilliant double save by Maher, who denied UCD substitutes Matthew Alonge and Colin Bolton, both from close range.

But the last say went to Derry when Ryan Graydon sped through on goal and tried to place it past Moore, and although the UCD goalkeeper saved well, the ball looped up in the air perfectly for substitute Matthew Ward, who forced it over the line from two yards.

DERRY CITY: Maher, Boyce, Coll, McJannet, Doherty (S McEleney 45’), Patching (O’Reilly 79’), McEneff, Dummigan (Diallo 65’), B Kavanagh (Graydon 65’), Duffy (Ward 74’), McGonigle (Patton 74’).

UCD: Moore, Gallagher (O’Connor 76’), Wells, Keaney, Behan, Nolan (Alonge 76’), Dempsey (Higgins 28’), Clarke (Bolton 36’), Norris, O’Regan (O’Brien 65’), Doyle.

REFEREE: Eoghan O’Shea.