DERRY City secured their first trophy in six years winning their 11th EA Sports Cup 3-1 in front of a packed Brandywell Stadium on Sunday evening.
Goals from Ronan Hale, Darren Cole and Aaron McEneff was enough to cancel out Christopher Hull’s first-half equaliser for Cobh Ramblers.
The first big chance of the game fell after 18 minutes, Ronan Hale recycling an exquisite through ball to McEneff, but the midfielder couldn’t beat Adam Mylod in the Cobh goal, the goalkeeper repelling McEneff’s effort with a strong right-handed save.
Aaron Splaine fought hard for Derry’s victory
The games pressure cooker eventually burst after 24 minutes – Derry City taking the lead through Ronan Hale – Cobh defender James McSweeney making a mistake and ultimately failing to clear the danger for Hale to sweep in and latch his effort past Mylod.
Cobh had failed to find any momentum going forward, but Dan Seaborne gifted Stephen Henderson’s side a chance to attack when his clearance only went as far as Denzil Fernandes.
The midfielder made his shimmied pass look effortless before Kevin Taylor rolled a low-cross long the box for Christopher Hull to tap in at the near post – a perfect response from the First Division side.
In the second half, the Foylesiders reestablished their lead after 54 minutes when Ben Fisk found Darren Cole unmarked inside the Cobh box from a corner kick, the Scot giving Mylod no chance with a sharp header.
Derry City took real charge after their second and things went from bad to worse for Cobh when Ian Mylod upended Derry’s Jamie McDonagh inside the box leaving Ben Connolly no choice but to point to the spot for McEneff, who converted.
Cobh had a chance to pull one back with two minutes remaining when they were awarded a penalty of their own, but hero Gerard Doherty pulled off another incredible save to put the icing on the cake for Derry’s EA Sports Cup victory.
