McHugh's wonder strike gives Derry three-in-a-row

SOCCER/Derry City 1 Bohemians 0:A spectacular extra-time goal settled the 2007 League Cup final at a packed Brandywell last night and for Derry City striker, Kevin McHugh, it will certainly be a strike to be remembered.

Holders of this trophy for the past two seasons, Derry will now breathe a sigh of relief following this defeat of Bohemians, giving them three titles in a row.

And it was a deserved victory for the 'Foylesiders' who dominated the scoring chances yet their well documented troubles in front of goal seemed set to continue.

However, McHugh's fabulous strike during the first period of extra-time was arrowed into the top right-hand corner from 25 yards giving Bohemians goalkeeper, Brian Murphy, no chance.

Having opened the game in a frenzy, the home side created no fewer than three clear-cut scoring chances during the opening seven minutes.

Indeed, straight from the kick-off, Kevin McHugh worked the ball through to Mark Farren but the striker seemed to delay his shot and Owen Heary played a captain's role when getting back to make a challenge.

In the third minute McHugh found Ciaran Martyn when heading the ball back into the danger area but the midfielder failed to get the all-important touch.

Four minutes later Farren broke on the left flank and while he worked his way into the penalty area his angled shot was directed straight at the body of the alert Murphy who saved with ease.

Martyn then failed to get a shot on target after McHugh again set him up as Derry began to dominate.

However, Bohemians don't boast the best defensive record in the league for nothing and having weathered that early storm, centre-halves Jason McGuinness and Liam Burns experienced very little difficulty in dealing with any threat, particularly in the air.

The home side continued to dominate the scoring chances after the break and while Killian Brennan and Martyn had chances to break the deadlock, the best scoring opportunity fell to the Sligoman in the 69th minute.

Farren supplied the cross from the right and while Martyn rose majestically, he looped his 'free' header recklessly over the crossbar when he really should have done better.

Bohemians, however, were always dangerous on the break and their best chance fell to Ryan McCann in the 71st minute, the midfielder failing to hit the target when well placed.

And Glen Crowe kept Derry goalkeeper, Pat Jennings, on his toes when his 81st minute snapshot from 20 yards was palmed over the crossbar.

DERRY CITY: Jennings; McCallion, Oman, Hutton, Hargan; McCourt (Deery, 106 mins), Molloy, Martyn, Brennan; McHugh (Higgins, 116 mins), Farren.

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Heary, Burns, McGuinness, Powell; Kelly (Rice, 64 mins), O'Donnell (Hunt, 95 mins), McCann, Byrne; Crowe, Mansaram (Fenn, 102 mins)

Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).