Aaron McEneff penalty opened the scoring for Derry City in 4-0 win over Longford
IT was just what Kenny Shiels had wanted from his players – a winning performance and a bag full of goals.
Two weeks ago he watched his team go down 5-0 to league leaders Dundalk at the Brandywell.
A fortnight on, and the players responded to that defeat in the best way possible – hitting four goals, with three of them in the second half against bottom of the table Longford Town.
It was Derry’s biggest win of the season and keeps them in contention.
The win leaves the Candy Stripes in third place of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division thanks to Friday night’s comfortable home win over bottom club Longford Town.
Aaron McEneff netted a 40th-minute penalty after a hand ball and Longford then had midfielder Kevin O’Connor sent-off for two yellow cards.
Substitute Lukas Schubert got his first goal for Derry in the 63rd minute.
Rory Patterson blazed a penalty over for Derry but Barry McNamee got their third and Patterson then made it 4-0.
Once they got the breakthrough against a team without a win for 17 league games, the result was not really in doubt.
McEneff, who successfully took over the penalty taking duties when Patterson missed in a cup game against Drogheda earlier in the season, netted from the spot for the opener five minutes before the break.
Schubert’s composed right-footed finish after Conor McCormick’s good pass made it two.
Derry got a second penalty in the 72nd minute after a foul on Schubert by Pat Flynn.
However, instead of earlier scorer McEneff, Patterson took the spot-kick and blazed it over the crossbar.
Just a couple of minutes later McNamee made it 3-0 by following up to score after Patterson’s overhead effort had been scooped out by visiting keeper Ryan Coulter.
Patterson got on the score sheet six minutes from time, wrapping up their biggest win of the season.
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