Derry City 1 Sligo Rovers 0
An Enda Curran goal was enough to secure Derry City’s first SSE Premier Divison win of the season against North West rivals Sligo Rovers at Brandywell tonight.
The Galway man’s excellent strike early in the second half – Derry’s first goal at Brandywell in this year’s campaign – proved to be the difference between the two sides.
Sligo started on the front foot and had the home side under pressure from the kick off, winning four corners in the first 11 minutes.
However, after manager Collins replaced his son Roddy Jr with David Elebert in the 12th minute, it was Derry who came closest to scoring in the 16th minute when Rory Patterson picked up a loose pass by Joseph Ndo, skipped away from Evan McMillan and forced a good save from Gary Rogers.
Fourteen minutes later, a Mark Stewart cross was cleared into the path of Enda Curran but his stinging 20 yard shot was dealt comfortably by Rogers.
Defender Aaron Barry wasted a chance to put the home side in front when, from a Dean Jarvis corner, he put a header wide when well placed from a corner in the 32nd minute.
Danny Ventre, playing against his former side, blasted a shot over after a David Elebert throw-in had been cleared out to him on the stroke of half-time.
Derry scored their first goal of the season at Brandywell, when Enda Curran fired home in off the post from 20 yards in the 54th minute.
The lead was almost doubled minutes later when Michael Duffy forced a great save from Rogers.
At the other end, Greene wasted a great chance to bring Rovers level when he shot wide after being set up by Maguire.
Doherty came to Derry’s rescue in the 76th minute when he brought off a brilliant point blank save from a Russell header from inside the six yard box.
The win is the boost Derry need ahead of Monday night’s away clash with Dundalk who had a convincing 4-1 away win over defending champions St Patrick’s Athletic tonight.
Derry City: Doherty, Barry, Byrne, Collins (Elebert 12), Jarvis, Duffy, McGovern (R Curran 63), Stewart, Ventre, E Curran, Patterson (Molloy 59). Substitutes: Gallagher,McBride, McEleney, Timlin.
Sligo Rovers: Rogers, McMillan, Keane, Henderson, Gaynor, Russell, Ndo, Cawley (Spillane 83), Odhiambo, Maguire, Greene. Substitutes: O’Connor, Loftus, Ledwith, Dykes, Brush.
Referee Derek Tomney.
ELSEWHERE
Airtricity Premier Division
St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Dundalk 4
Bohemians 1 Bray Wanderers 1
Cork City 3 Shamrock Rovers 0
Drogheda United 3 Athlone Town 2
UCD 1 Limerick City 1
Airtricity First Division
Galway FC 4 Cobh Ramblers 0
Shelbourne (Coughlan 23)1 Finn Harps 0
Wexford Youths 2 Shamrock Rovers B 2