Soccer

St Pat’s continue good start and add to Derry’s woes

Robbie Benson and Darragh Burns netted the goals at Richmond Park

St Patrick’s Athletic’s Robbie Benson celebrates scoring a goal with Matty Smith during their Airtricity League win over Derry City. Photo: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Fri Apr 9 2021 - 20:37

St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Derry City 0

Robbie Benson broke 10-man Derry City’s resolve as St Patrick’s Athletic moved three points clear at the top of the Premier Division table.

Substitute Darragh Burns, just 18, added a delightful second goal with his first strike for the club.

Unbeaten in their opening four games, it equals St Patrick’s best start to a season in 11 years.

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Despite starting well, it became an uphill task for Derry once defender Danny Lupano was sent off just past the half hour.

Declan Devine’s side remain bottom of the table without a point after three games with champions Shamrock Rovers the visitors to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Tuesday.

A hardworking Derry wasted a chance on 20 minutes, when James Akintunde headed tamely wide from Jack Malone’s cross before presenting St Patrick’s with a gift 12 minutes later.

Lupano, booked earlier for a foul on Matty Smith, tugged on the winger’s shirt leaving referee Ben Connolly with no option but to show a second yellow.

Goalkeeper Nathan Gartside then kept Derry in the game until half-time with saves from Smith, Ian Bermingham and Chris Forrester.

St Patrick’s incessant pressure finally told on the hour.

Bermingham’s low cross found Ronan Coughlan to set up Benson to apply the finish from close range.

The points were sealed on 70 minutes with a route one approach that was finished with subtle quality.

Same Bone’s long ball found Burns down the inside right channel.

And the Northern Ireland youth international showed delightful composure to feint to take the ball onto his weaker right foot and shoot low into the far corner for a terrific first goal for the club.

St Patrick's Athletic: Jaros; Bone, Desmond, Bermingham; Mountney, Forrester (Lewis, 80), Lennon, Benson; King (McClelland, 80), Coughlan (Melvin-Lambert, 85), Smith (Burns, 66).

Derry City: Gartside; Lupano, Toal, McJannet; Patching, Malone, Thompson (Fitzgerald, 73), Harkin (Glynn, 81), Lafferty; Parkhouse (Boyce, 73), Akintunde (Barr, 62).

Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).