"He's just got an unbelievable knack of scoring goals, and big goals"

Ruaidhri Higgins praised match winner Patrick Hoban after the striker’s debut goal helped Derry City to an opening day win over Drogheda United.

Hoban struck midway through the second half, adding to Ronan Boyce’s opener, and although Drogheda pulled one back through Evan Weir’s deflected free kick, City held on for three points.

“He’s just got an unbelievable knack of knowing how to score goals, and big goals,” Higgins said afterwards. “It’s his first competitive goal for the club and it’s great for him to get it on the opening night and that will set him off. He’s an experienced goal scorer and he’s been doing it in this league for an awful long time. I have no doubt that if we create opportunities, he’ll score goals.

“If we had taken care at the top end, we could have got a few more, but, listen, it’s three points against a really difficult opponent who have caused us big problems over the last couple of years, so we’re delighted and we’ll move on.”

Higgins was also delighted for goalkeeper Brian Maher, whose penalty save from Ryan Brennan was just as crucial in the victory.

“How many times did we sell him in the off-season?”, he joked. “It’s a brilliant penalty save and he made a really good one-handed save from the chance they created in the first half. It’s a big moment because it was soon after we went a goal in front and it was a big save. I’ve said it numerous times, he’s been an absolutely brilliant signing for this club and the best in the country.”

This was only the second time in 11 seasons that Derry City have started a season at home and the first time in five seasons that they won the opening day fixture, stats that Higgins was well aware of.

“It was about 25 years ago that we had a home game to start the season, but we got one tonight,” he added. “We made it a wee bit difficult, but thankfully we leave with three points and our supporters will go home happy.

“I’m delighted with the three points, that’s all that you really want from the opening fixture. The performance is probably secondary on the opening day; we had spells in the first half when I thought we were good, we were on the front foot, we played some good stuff, and I felt we lost our composure for a 10-minute period after we went a goal in front, which was disappointing. But we got it over the line. The second half was scrappier than I would have liked, but we got there.”