A stunning goal from captain Declan O’Brien inspired Drogheda United to a 2-1 victory over title rivals Derry City at United Park.
The skipper pounced on a defensive error to fire Paul Doolin’s men ahead from long range in the first half, and Ollie Cahill then grabbed his first goal for the club as Drogheda strengthened their hold on second place in the league table.
The Candystripes, who only took a single point out of nine against Drogheda last season, posed the greater threat in the opening stages and Kevin Deery might have done better with a headed chance in the 11th minute which flew over Mikko Vilmunen’s crossbar.
However, the Drogs fashioned a clear-cut chance of their own when Simon Webb’s cross picked out Shane Robinson, only for his firm header to be cleared off the line by Dave Rogers.
A hopeful ball into the Drogheda box almost paid dividends for Derry when Mark Farren shrugged off Jason Gavin’s challenge but couldn’t generate enough power in his shot to beat Vilmunen.
Out of nothing, Drogheda hit the front after 26 minutes when Derry keeper Patrick Jennings strayed from his goal and was caught out by a poor clearance from team-mate Barry Molloy. Declan O’Brien seized on the loose ball and curled a fabulous shot into the top corner of the net from 35 yards.
Paddy McCourt almost made the Drogs pay for misplaced pass when he drove forward from midfield and fired narrowly wide from 25 yards.
Drogheda carried that narrowest of leads into the second half, but poor defending almost led to an equaliser for the Candystripesafter 52 minutes.
Peter Hutton was left unmarked from a Molloy corner but somehow headed across the goal and wide from only two yards.
Then Vilmunen fumbled Ruaidhri Higgins’ driven free kick and the rebound fell kindly for Dave Rogers who hooked the ball over the Drogheda crossbar.
Derry’s poor finishing was punished decisively by the Drogs after 64 minutes when Robinson beat Rogers for pace on the right flank and crossed for Ollie Cahill to head powerfully to the net from six yards.
There looked to be no way back for Derry after that, although substitute Killian Brennan went close with a stinging drive after skipping past two challenges.
Jennings saved the Candystripes from a heavier defeat, though, when he blocked Gavin’s low shot when a Robinson corner dropped at the feet of the Drogheda centre-half.
In the second minute of stoppage time, the unfortunate Gavin knocked the ball into his own net for a Derry consolation.
Drogheda United: Vilmunen, Lynch, Shelley, Gavin, Webb, Robinson, Keegan, Bradley, Cahill, Fitzpatrick, O’Brien
Derry City: Jennings, McCallion, Hutton, Kelly, Rogers, Higgins, Molloy, Deery, McCourt, Farren, Beckett
Subs: Drogheda - Zayed for O’Brien 65min, Whelan for Bradley 82min, Grant for Fitzpatrick 90min Derry City – Brennan for Deery 66min, McHugh for Farren 66min, Moore for McCallion 79min
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin)
