Derry City 4-0 Bray Wanderers
Friday, 11 July 2008Derry City put their recent eircom League Premier Division setbacks firmly behind them with a comprehensive 4-0 over Bray Wanderers at the Brandywell.
Derry City got off to a dream start when, after just twenty-five seconds, they took the lead.
Midfielder Ciaran Martyn charged down defender Kevin Doherty's attempted clearance before slipping the ball on the left to Thomas Stewart and the ex-Linfield player marked his Brandywell debut with an inch perfect cross to the far post where Gareth McGlynn headed the ball into an empty net.
But the Seagulls came back and almost equalised two minutes later when Dane Massey's left foot angled drive was pushed away for a corner by goalkeeper Gerard Doherty.
Bray's Doherty almost made amends for his earlier mistake when, from Alan Cawley's corner kick, his accurate header was deflected over the crossbar for a second corner.
Wanderers again squandered a chance to level the game in the tenth minute when Massey directed his free header from a Cawley free kick wide of the 'keeper's right-hand upright.
Derry should have doubled their lead in the fourteenth minute but striker Mark Farren's point blank header from Niall McGinn's left wing cross was blocked on the goal-line by defender Derek Foran.
Bray created another scoring opportunity in the forty-third minute but midfielder Gary Cronin's long range left-foot shot flew inches over the 'keeper's crossbar.
But a two-goal salvo from Derry early in the second half put paid to any chance of a Bray comeback.
Mark Farren doubled Derry's lead in the fifty-ninth minute when he profited from Foran's slip to chip the ball over the 'keeper's head before firing it into an empty net.
Two minutes later Stewart marked his debut with a superb left foot volley from twelve yards following a Farren left-wing cross.
Substitute Kevin McHugh ended Derry's scoring spree with a right foot shot in the eighty-seventh minute which gave 'keeper Gough no chance.
Derry City - Doherty, Deer (McCallion 70), Hutton, Delaney, Gray, McGlynn, Martyn, Higgins, McGinn (McHugh 81), Stewart (Sammon 85) and Farren.
Bray Wanderers - Gough, Ivory (Coughlan 65), Foran, Doherty, Pender, Kavanagh (Dunphy 76), Cronin, Cawley, Duggan, Massey and Rowe (Myler 85).
Referee - Tom Connolly, Dublin.
