Dos Santos nets winner as Derry City clinch win over Pats

A second-half header from Kevin Santos proved the difference as Derry City returned to winning ways, while simultaneously ending St Patrick’s Athletic’s title challenge in their penultimate home game at the Ryan McBride Brandywell of the 2026 campaign on Monday evening.

Although the Candystripes’ season will ultimately be defined by next month’s Club Orange FAI Cup final against Waterford United, interim boss Mark Connolly will be hoping to carry the form shown since his takeover into the closing weeks of the campaign.

Connolly shuffled his pack, making three changes from the side that suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Drogheda United on Friday evening. Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, James Clarke and Darragh Burns came into the starting XI in place of Conor Barr, Michael Duffy and Cameron Dummigan.

There was also a welcome return to action for Darragh Markey, who had been out of action since mid-June with a serious Achilles injury. Meanwhile, in the opposing dugout, Stephen Kenny made just one alteration from Friday’s home defeat to Shelbourne, with Anto Breslin coming into the fold in place of Jason McClelland.

Derry carved out the first opening in the second minute. A perfectly weighted through ball from Lyons-Foster found fellow summer signing Tyler Smith, but the former Rochdale striker could only hit the side netting from a narrow angle. In the twentieth minute, a fast break led by James Clarke allowed Burns to drive towards the St Patrick’s box before slipping possession into Smith. The striker hit a snapshot on the turn, forcing a good save from Joseph Anang.

At the other end, St Patrick’s struggled to create anything clear-cut, although Kian Leavy was lively and kept the Candystripes on their guard. Midway through the half, a Jamie Stott mispass almost allowed Leavy to nip in ahead of Tom Norcott, but the City shot-stopper was alert to the danger and cleared to safety.

Moments later, Ellis Chapman found a pocket of space and drilled a shot towards goal. It took a wicked deflection off the head of Sean Hoare before ricocheting out for a corner. In the twenty-sixth minute, a blisteringly quick counter-attack led by Burns allowed the former St Patrick’s winger to combine with Smith before unleashing a shot at goal. However, his effort was straight at Anang, who stood tall to gather possession.

St Patrick’s best chance of the half fell to Jamie Lennon on the half-hour mark. Getting on the end of a recycled corner, Lennon attempted a spectacular scissor kick inside the box but flashed his effort high and wide. Barry Baggley tried his luck from distance soon afterwards, but his effort was straight down the throat of Norcott.

After the restart, St Patrick’s fired an early warning when Anthony Olusanya whipped a first-time shot over the crossbar after winning possession high up the Derry half. At the other end, half-time substitute Conor Barr combined well with Burns, who struck a first-time effort that once again failed to trouble Anang.

Just before the hour mark, Joe Redmond flashed an effort narrowly over the crossbar after getting on the end of an inswinging Zach Elbouzedi free kick. Despite having a free header, the St Patrick’s skipper could not keep his effort down.

Moments later, however, Santos found the net to claim his fourth goal in the Candystripes’ colours. Burns drove towards the byline before lofting a ball into the box for the Portuguese winger. Despite being on the wrong side of Elbouzedi, Santos managed to angle his header into the bottom corner and give the Foylesiders the lead.

Five minutes later, Patrick McClean came to the rescue to deny Ryan Edmondson what looked like a certain goal. The former Carlisle striker burst through clean on goal with the net seemingly at his mercy, but McClean stretched at full length to keep him out and preserve Derry’s advantage.

Right at the death, it looked as though St Patrick’s had snatched an unlikely equaliser. Romal Palmer drilled a shot towards the bottom corner from point-blank range, but Norcott stuck out a boot to make a crucial save as the Candystripes held on for their seventh win in eleven games.

Next up will be the visit of Dundalk to the Ryan McBride Brandywell in Derry's last home fixture of the 2026 season. Meanwhile, a dejected St Patricks Athletic will head to the west coast to take on Galway United.

Derry City: Tom Norcott; Brooklyn Lyons-Foster (Conor Barr 46), Jamie Stott, Patrick McClean, Brandon Fleming; James Clarke, Nick Twisk (Cameron Dummigan 78), Ellis Chapman; Darragh Burns, Tyler Smith (Terence Doherty 84), Kevin dos Santos (Darragh Markey 72).

St Patricks Athletic: Joseph Anang; Luke Turner (Romal Palmer 75), Sean Hoare, Joe Redmond; Jamie Lennon, Barry Baggley (Ryan Sheridan 64), Kian Leavy (Chris Forrester 64), Anto Breslin (Jason McClelland 58), Zach Elbouzedi; Aidan Keena (Ryan Edmondson 57), Anthony Olusanya.

Referee: Aaron O’Dowd.