Will Patching scores two as Derry City win at Dundalk!

Dundalk 1

Derry City 3

Will Patching was the Derry City hero with two goals to help pick up a rare win at Oriel Park and move into second place in the Premier Division.

The City midfielder scored a goal in each half to secure what was only the second Candystripes’ win at Oriel in the past decade.

With Shamrock Rovers dominating Bohemians at Tallaght, City needed to respond at Oriel, and they did just that, but only thanks to some heroics from goalkeeper Brian Maher.

Dundalk should have been 10 minutes in when Daryl Horgan cleverly dummied a pass from Archie Davies into the path of Sam Durrant, who found himself through on goal coming in off the left wing. The youngster had time to take a touch, but his effort was then smothered by Brian Maher, who gathered at the second attempt to save his team.

The home team were looking sharp all over the pitch with Davies in particular causing problems from right back, and it was his cross which almost led to a Dundalk goal, the ball falling for Horgan, who volleyed it perfectly at goal, only for Maher to save his team again with a superb save.

The crucial moment in the first half came just three minutes before the break and Paul McMullan was at the heart of it for Derry City. The winger’ driving run saw him pick out the run of Patching through the heart of the Dundalk defence, and the midfielder showed great composure to hook the ball beyond Sheppard from close range to make it 1-0.

It should have been 2-0 before the break when the brilliant McMullan drove the ball right across the face of goal, and Ben Doherty came in unmarked at the back post, but sent his shot wide with the goal gaping.

Derry City doubled their lead just 80 seconds into the second half to silence the crowd at Oriel Park. Patching went through for a second time and while this time he was denied by a brilliant stop from Sheppard, the ball fell for Doherty who smashed in his fifth goal of the season to put his team in control.

The Derry City goal lived a charmed life in the second half, with both Hoban and Yii-Kokko both hitting the woodwork.

There was a brave effort at a comeback by Dundalk, but the game was put beyond them on 77 minutes when Dan Kelly brought Patching down in the penalty area, giving referee Damien McGraith an easy penalty decision.

Patching picked himself up and calmly sent Sheppard the wrong way from the spot for his second goal of the game to seal a very valuable win for the Candystripes.

Pat Hoban responded from the penalty spot late on, but it was nothing more than consolation for the home side. 

Teams

DUNDALK: Sheppard, Davies, Leahy, Kelly, Muller, Brownlie (Doyle 60’), Yii-Kokko (Lewis 70’), Durrant (Benson 79’), Malley (McCourt 60’), Horgan. Hoban.

DERRY CITY: Maher, Doherty, McJannett, S McEleney, Coll, Patching, O’Reilly, Todd (McEneff 73’), P McEleney (B Kavanagh 81’), McMullan, Mullen (McGonigle 64’).

OFFICIALS: Damien McGraith, Richard Storey and Michelle O’Neill.