National League, Premier Division/Derry City 3 St Patrick's Athletic 1: Derry City moved into joint leadership of the Eircom National League Premier Division following this deserved victory at the Brandywell last night.
And the win over St Patrick's Athletic extends Derry's unbeaten home record to 11 matches in all competitions.
Clearly showing signs of fatigue, Stephen Kenny's side eventually got to grips with this affair after a slow start to enjoy a two-goal lead at the half-hour stage.
And it was the pairing of Kevin Deery and Ken Oman who fashioned both goals from almost identical setpiece situations.
Deery delivered two corners and Oman, in the side at the expense of the injured Peter Hutton, powered the ball home in the 23rd and 30th minutes.
But St Patrick's, displaying great tenacity and determination, refused to give up the ghost and they grabbed a lifeline in the 40th minute.
A cross on the left from Mark Quigley was met by substitute Colm Foley, and he reduced the deficit from close range.
But the game swung in Derry's favour midway through the second half thanks to Stephen Kenny's substitutions.
And while Ciarán Martyn really squandered two glorious chances within the space of 60 seconds, the Sligo man made up for it in the 78th minute.
Having charged down a defensive clearance, Martyn lobbed the ball into the St Patrick's area and substitute Mark Farren headed home with his first touch.
Derry's David Forde pulled off a superb save in the dying stages to deny Trevor Molloy and the same player was booked on the stroke of full-time for punching the ball into the Derry net.
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Oman, Kelly, Hargan; Deery, Molloy, Martyn, McCourt (Holmes, 65 mins); Beckett, McHugh (Farren, 73 mins).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; S Quigley, Brennan (Leister, 72 mins), Maguire, Frost; Rooney, Fahey, M Foley (C Foley, 35 mins), Molloy; M Quigley, Keegan (Rutherford, 60 mins).
Referee: P. Tuite (Dublin).
HOW THEY STAND
P W D L F A Pts
Shelbourne 17 11 5 1 40 14 38
Derry City 16 12 2 2 29 11 38
Drogheda Utd 17 9 5 3 17 9 32
Cork City 16 8 6 2 15 8 30
Sligo Rovers 18 7 5 6 22 24 26
St Patrick's Ath 18 6 6 6 20 19 24
Bohemians 19 7 2 10 19 19 23
UCD 20 5 7 8 16 21 22
Longford Town 18 5 6 7 14 14 21
Bray Wanderers 18 2 4 12 14 35 10
Waterford Utd 19 0 4 15 11 43 4
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