St Patrick's Athletic 0 Derry City 1:DERRY CITY ended St Patrick's Athletic's four-game winning streak with Owen Morrison's 65th-minute strike proving decisive at Richmond Park last night.
The visitors came close to opening the scoring on seven minutes when Paddy McCourt whipped in a cross from the right. Clive Delaney's deft right-footed flick from just inside the box forced St Patrick's stand-in goalkeeper, Brendan Clarke, to go down low to his right to force a corner.
St Patrick's then came close when captain Jamie Harris headed wide from Keith Fahey's cross from the right.
The high tempo continued even as the rain began to come down heavily and Damien Lynch hit the side netting for St Patrick's after Bobby Ryan had whipped in a dangerous cross from the right. Midway through the first half, Gary O'Neill, who is still waiting for his first goal in the league, headed just wide off another corner from Fahey.
With St Patrick's creating the bulk of the chances Derry centrehalf Clive Delaney done just enough to distract leading scoring Mark Quigley as he attempted to connect with a cross from the right on 25 minutes.
Derry then began to take control with Clarke needing to come quickly off his line as Mark Farren came bearing down on him following a long clearance.
Kevin McHugh had a header deflected away for a second corner on 38 minutes with Delaney then hitting the side netting after Morrison had sent in a ball from the right.
Derry's Delaney was in the thick of the action early in the second half when sliding in to divert a shot from Fahey on 49 minutes.
Derry took the lead on the 65th minute when Morrison gained possession near the touchline. He spotted Clarke off his line and stunned the home crowd when putting the ball over the St Patrick's goalkeeper. St Patrick's, however, came close to levelling on 73 minutes but Gerard Doherty pushed away a free from Fahey with O'Neill about to pounce at the far post.
Stephen Kenny played it safe after that with his two most creative players in McCourt and Morrison both substituted in the final 15 minutes.
But the visitors had to endure some nervy moments with Fahey having an effort cleared off the line by Peter Hutton. And shortly afterwards, Mark Quigley blazed just over from just outside the penalty area.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; Ó Cearuill, Harris, Partridge, Paisley (Fitzpatrick 82 mins); Ryan (Dempsey 56 mins), Fahey, Lynch, Kirby; O'Neill, Quigley.
DERRY CITY: Doherty; McGlynn, Delaney, Hutton, Gray; Molloy, McCourt (McCallion 74 mins), Higgins (Martyn 65 mins); McHugh, Farren, Morrison (Sammon 77 mins).
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
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