St Patrick’s Athletic returned to the top of the eircom League of Ireland Premier Division following a 2-1 win over Derry City at Richmond Park.
Mark Quigley was the hero for the Saints with both goals. His two excellent close-range strikes came on 43 and 64 minutes.
Derry’s goal came on 50 minutes when Gareth McGlynn crashed home an Eddie McCallion ball.
Drogheda can overtake Pat’s again if they beat Galway United on Monday night.
Derry had the first shot on goal, after three minutes. Kevin Deery’s free-kick came at Pat’s keeper Barry Ryan like a rocket from about 25 yards out but Ryan managed to make a clean save into his chest.
Pat’s, under the watchful eye of new millionaire owner Garrett Kelleher, were forced into making a change early on when Gary O’Neill was carried off injured following tackle in the Derry box.
Kevin Corwall replaced O’Neill and slotted straight in up front with Quigley.
Derry’s transfer-listed Dave Rogers was also in attendance amid rumours that a two-year deal with Pat’s had been agreed
Back on the pitch, the game soon petered out and there wasn’t much to write home about again until the 27th minute.
Keith Fahey’s cross from the right for Pat’s looked inviting enough but cleared the area and went into touch.
The tempo of the game was increasing and Derry’s Pat Jennings made his first save of the night from Michael Foley on the half-hour mark.
Out of nothing Pat’s then took the lead. Quigley got through on 42 minutes but Eddie McCallion brushed him off the ball.
The ball went out for a corner and after Jennings fluffed at the returned ball Quigley lashed an unstoppable shot past the Derry netminder from right of centre.
On a night when Pat’s were paired with Odense BK and Derry got Armenian opposition in the Champions League, Pat’s fans were chanting ‘Champion’s League - you’re having a laugh’ as Derry had a torrid end to the first half.
It all turned at the start of the second 45 when Derry got back on level terms. A McCallion ball came into the box and McGlynn struck a great half volley to get the Foylesiders back into it.
This spurred Pat’s to push on and that they did on 64 minutes when Quigley got his second of the night following wonderful team work inside the Derry area by Stephen Paisley and Cornwall.
Derry pushed on and temporary boss Peter Hutton crashed a ball off the underside of the crossbar on 77 minutes only to see Kevin McHugh blast the rebound into oblivion.
Seconds later Pat’s Darragh Maguire hit the crossbar at the other end with a powerful header.
Derry sub Neil McCafferty, only on the pitch four minutes, was sent off for a lunge on Stephen Brennan on 86 minutes.
St Pat’s: Ryan, Brennan, Mulcahy, Maguire, C Foley (O‘Connor 65), Fahey, O’Neill (Cornwall 9) M Quigley, M Foley (S Quigley 79), Murphy, Paisley.
Derry City: Jennings, McCallion, Hargan (Farren 38), Oman, Hutton, Higgins, McGlynn, McHugh, Molloy, Hynes, Deery (McCafferty 82).
Ref: Alan Kelly (Cork).
