Five-star Derry City destroy Drogheda United at the Brandywell!

Derry City 5

Drogheda United 1

Colm Whelan made his long-awaited return from injury as Derry City destroyed Drogheda United at the Brandywell.

The striker, who had not played since last May, received a standing ovation when he appeared as a second half substitute on a night when the home side impressed. 

The home side took the lead with their quickest goal of the season, scoring after just six minutes when Cameron Dummigan sent a superb effort right into the top corner from 25 yards for his first goal in over two years.

Drogheda stunned the Brandywell by equalising midway through the half when Evan Weir’s corner caused a scramble in the City penalty area and Adam Foley shot home from close range to make it 1-1.

But their celebrations just three minutes as the striker was then penalised for holding Mark Connolly at the other end with referee Rob Harvey pointing to the penalty spot. Will Patching stepped up to score his sixth goal of the season, sending Wogan the wrong way to restore his team’s lead.

But for all their problems, there was still fight in this Drogheda team, and they almost equalised a second time with the last kick of the half, an imaginative effort from Ryan Brennan, volleying the ball as he lost his balance, bringing a good save from Brian Maher.

The next goal was vital and it came Derry City’s way on 56 minutes when Kelly beat the offside trap and raced through from the right wing before lashing the ball high into the roof of the net.

The game was then ended as a contest in the space of two disastrous minutes for Drogheda midway through the second half. Striker Frantz Pierrot, already on a yellow card, collided with Mark Connolly one too many times and was sent off by referee Rob Harvey.

Pierrot had not even reached the changing room when his team conceded their fourth goal, and it was incisive again from Derry City as Doherty’s cross was knocked down by Kelly into the path of Pat Hoban, who fired home his 12th goal of the season.

The return of Colm Whelan from a year-long ACL injury had Derry City fans on their feet, and the home fans were cheering one more time before the final whistle when substitute Ciaran Coll, with his first touch, headed home from Kelly’s corner to score only his third goal for the club.

Teams

Derry City: Maher, Doherty (Coll 85’), Connolly, S McEleney (Todd 85’), Dummigan (Boyce 85’), Diallo, O’Reilly, Patching, McMullan, Kelly, Hoban (Mullen 70’).

Drogheda: Wogan, Weir (Haddock 86’), Keaney, Quinn, Heeney, O’Brien, Davis, Kane, Brennan (Byrne 71’), Foley (Topcu 75’), Pierrot.

Referee; Rob Harvey.