Derry City midfielder and talisman Barry McNamee scored the only game of the game against Bohs
DERRY CITY tonight returned to third place in the SSE Airtricty Premier Division after a deserved 1-0 win over Bohemians at Dublin’s Dalymount Park.
It was a vital win as the Candystripes go into Monday night’s North West derby game away to Finn Harps (kick off 8 pm).
The win puts Derry on 34 points but 27 points adrift from table toppers on Cork City who are lead with 61 points.
Barry McNamee scored the decisive goal six minutes before half time when he was first to react to the loose ball after keeper Shane Supple had denied Ronan Curtis.
Kenny Shiels’ side finished the game with ten men after Aaron Barry saw red as he fouled Ismahil Akinade as the striker raced in on goal four minutes from time but held out for a morale-boosting win.
Keith Long rang the changes following Bohemians’ 2-1 defeat at Finn Harps, with a first start for former Derry striker Ciaran O’Connor and a return for 18-year-old defender Warren O’Hora.
Kenny Shiels also made changes after his side lost 2-1 against St Patrick’s Athletic last Friday, with Barry and Conor McDermott returning in defence and Nathan Boyle up front.
From the off, the Candystripes played with an intensity missing in Richmond Park and had two good chances to take the lead in the opening minutes.
Ronan Curtis turned Bohs’ new signing Dan Casey in the box before opting to cross when the shot might have been a better option before McNamee saw a furious strike from distance fly just over.
Rory Patterson was convinced he had registered his first goal of a frustrating, injury-plagued season, midway through the half as he diverted a close-range shot past Shane Supple.
The ball was millimetres from crossing the whitewash when Nathan Boyle stepped across from an offside position and touched it in – much to the bafflement of his strike partner.
Referee Robert Hennessey was left with no option but to disallow the goal, in spite of Boyle’s protest, but the travelling fans didn’t have to wait much longer to see their side take the lead.
Six minutes from half-time, a sublime Low pass picked out Curtis on the left and the recent Ireland under-21 cap cut back inside before unleashing a powerful drive that Supple could only parry.
With the Gypsies’ defence flat-footed, McNamee reacted quickest to skilfully volley the rebound into the unguarded net.
Bohs were forced to abandon their conservative strategy following the goal and they could have equalised on the stroke of half-time when Keith Ward played in Ciaran O’Connor.
The Dundalk loanee, who had a spell with Derry in 2015, attempted to pick out Dinny Corcoran in space on the edge of the six-yard box but he under-hit the pass and Derry survived to the break.
Keith Long introduced Izzy Akinade on the hour as Bohs looked to press with two up front, but the striker’s first contribution was to pick up a harsh booking when he was deemed to have swung an arm at Barry.
He made the right sort of contribution shortly after as he flicked on to put Corcoran in on goal, but the striker was denied by an excellent last-ditch tackle from Cole.
And Akinade was at the centre of controversy again as he raced through on goal before tumbling under pressure from Barry just outside the box – red card for the Derry defender.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Dan Casey (Dylan Hayes 55), Warren O’Hora, Dan Byrne, Ian Morris; Fuad Sule, Oscar Brennan, Paddy Kavanagh (Ismahil Akinade 61), Keith Ward; Ciaran O’Connor, Dinny Corcoran.
Derry City: Ger Doherty; Conor McDermott, Darren Cole, Aaron Barry, Dean Jarvis; Aaron McEneff, Barry McNamee, Nicky Low; Ronan Curtis, Nathan Boyle (Mark Timlin 80 (Lukas Schubert 88), Rory Patterson.
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