GLORY RORY…..Striker Rory Patterson opens the scoring at the Brandywell tonight (Pix North West Newspix)
DERRY CITY 5 V 1 LIMERICK (KICK OFF 7.45 PM)
DERRY City recorded back to back wins tonight at the Brandywell in front of a packed home crowd.
And it was the second week in a row the Candy Stripes hit five past their opponents.
But unlike at Limerick where Ger Doherty kept a clean sheet, Bray Wanderers scored a late consolation goal spoiling City’s tally of ten goals without return.
The first shot on target of the game came on 13 minutes with a Ronan Hale volley, but it was fired straight at the Bray keeper Aaron Dillon.
Two minutes later Rory Patterson broke the deadlock when he got the final touch, steering in past Dillon.
And just a few minutes later Hale – who bagged a hat trick last week against Limerick – should have made it 2-0 but his shot rolls past the post.
The game remained 1-0 until the interval and ten minutes after half time Nicky Low saw red on 55 minutes and was sent off by Damien McGraith.
Low’s sending off didn’t seem to make a difference and with five minutes Rory Curtis had doubled Derry’s lead and it looked Bray’s floodgates were about to be busted right open.
Soon after Derry were awarded a penalty and Aaron McEneff made sure from the penalty spot and it looked a repeat of the Limerick match was on the cards.
And on 77 minutes Ronan Hale, who had missed two earlier chances, made sure of his third and slotted his shot past keeper Dillon for his fourth goal in two games.
Sean Heaney scored a consolation goal for the visitors which took a bit of a shine of Derry’s performance with keeper Doherty looking to have another clean sheet.
Manager Kenny Shiels took off both Patterson and Hale as Derry were now cruising to keep them fit and fresh for their next game.
Substitute David Hopkirk, who replaced Hale, became the super sub of the night when he made it a five star night scoring in the 89th minute of the game.
Because of the international games next weekend, Derry don’t have a Premier League game.
Next up for the Candy Stripes is a home game against St Pat’s Athletics on March 30 which will be screened live on RTE television.
As a result the kick off is now 7.30 pm.
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