Wexford Youths 1-2 Derry City
Rory Patterson broke Wexford Youths’ hearts with a last-gasp winner at Ferrycarrig Park for visiting Derry City.
The victory, Derry’s fourth in succession, moves Kenny Shiels’ side back joint top of the Premier Division table with champions Dundalk.
As they had been in their opening four games, newly-promoted Youths were yet again well in the game only to rue the fact at the finish that they still await their first win in the top flight.
With the match in the fourth minute of added time, striker Patterson met Barry McNamee’s deep free kick to loop a header to the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Cork referee Graham Kelly blew the final whistle on the restart.
Danny Furlong looked to have salvaged a point for Youths with a late equaliser when sweeping home Eric Molloy’s cross on 83 minutes.
Derry had broken the deadlock of an entertaining clash 14 minutes earlier.
Substitute Keith Ward’s cross was cleverly laid off by McNamee for fellow midfielder Conor McCormack to find the top corner with a crisp right foot drive from 20 yards.
Despite the swirling wind and rain, a lively opening to the game produced a chance at either end inside the first four minutes.
Youths had the better one three minutes in with Furlong threading a ball through for the run of Paul Murphy. Experienced Derry keeper Ger Doherty was off his line promptly to save at the striker’s feet.
Scarcely a minute later, Ronan Curtis’s attempted cross deflected off Youths’ right-back Craig McCabe to loop over keeper Graham Doyle and bounce agonisingly out for a corner.
While Derry enjoyed the better possession it was Youths who wasted another guilt-edged chance on 20 minutes in a route one attack.
Keeper Doyle’s clearance was flicked through by midfielder Chris Kenny for Furlong. Once again, though, Doherty was wide awake to the danger and raced off his line to save at the edge of his area.
Now well on top, Youths were left incensed on 36 minutes when Derry defender Aaron Barry appeared to impede Furlong as he tried to get forward onto Andy Mulligan’s cross. No free kick was forthcoming.
Another direct chance fell Youths’ way on 44 minutes. Doyle’s kick out bounced right through to the Derry box where Furlong’s snap volley arrowed just wide.
The Youths striker had yet another opportunity in the first minute of added time of the first half. Midfielder Aidan Friel put over a cross from the right and Furlong's shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by the overworked Doherty.
Derry were much improved in the second half, testing Doyle for the first time on 58 minutes. McNamee’s corner from the right found skipper Ryan McBride at the back post. Doyle did well to parry the shot before Youths survived an alright scramble in their area.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney (Stephen Last 83), Lee Grace, Ryan Delaney; Aidan Friel, Chris Kenny, Danny Ledwith (Craig Wall 78), Andy Mulligan (Eric Molloy 65); Paul Murphy, Danny Furlong.
Derry City: Ger Doherty; Niclas Vemmelund, Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry, Dean Jarvis; Conor McCormack; Gareth McGlynn (Keith Ward 57), Barry McNamee, Harry Monaghan, Ronan Curtis (Nathan Boyle 76); Rory Patterson.
Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork).
