Barry McNamee: scored Derry’s fourth goal.
Derry City 4 Aberystwyth Town 0
Derry City are overwhelming favourites to progress to the next round of the Europa League after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Aberystwyth Town in the first leg of their qualifying tie at Brandywell tonight.
Barring an absolute disaster in next week’s return leg in Wales, City’s biggest home win in Europe has secured the Brandywell club a second round tie with Shakhtyor Soligorsk from Belarus.
In a game dominated by the home side, Derry had the tie well and truly tied up as early as the 25th minute when they led the Welsh Premier League side 2-0, the visitors having been reduced to ten men.
Midfielder Patrick McEleney put the Candystripes ahead in the 15th minute when he finished superbly to the bottom corner from 12 yards.
Ten minutes later, the Seasiders’ keeper Mike Lewis was sent for after conceding a penalty, which was converted by Rory Patterson who gave replacement keeper Philip Draper no chance.
Draper pulled off two brilliant saves before half-time, first keeping out a Michael Duffy header and then getting his fingertips to a McEleney effort from outside the box.
However, he was beaten just two minutes after the break when Mark Timlin fired home from 30 yards as Derry took total control of the game.
Peter Hutton’s side could and should have extended their lead on more than one occasion – but failed to do so through a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing – before Barry McNamee added a fourth in the last five minutes.
Although Hutton will rightly look at the tie as being at the “half time” stage, however City fans will now expect the Candystripes to go on a face Shakhtyor Soligorsk, the first leg taking place in the Brandywell on 17 July with the away leg a week later.
Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Ryan McBride, Dean Jarvis, Cliff Byrne, Aaron Barry, Mark Timlin (Joshua Tracey 68), Barry Molloy, Barry McNamee, Patrick McEleney, Michael Duffy, Rory Patterson (Nathan Boyle 82).
Unused substitutes: Ciaran Gallagher, Shane McEleney, Philip Lowry, Ryan Curran, Danny Ventre.
Aberystwyth Town: Mike Lewis, Wyn Thomas, Stuart Jones, Chris Davies (Bari Morgan 66), Ciedan Davies, Chris Venables, Luke Sherbon, Geoff Kellaway, Antonio Corbisiero, Craig Williams (Philip Draper 24), Mark Jones.
Unused substitutes: Sion James, Rhydian Davies, Jamie Butler, Thomas Atyeo.
Referee: Mads-Kristoffer Kristoffersen (Denmark).
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