Soccer

Will Patching stars as Derry City put five past UCD and pressure on Shamrock Rovers

Ruaidhrí Higgins’s side move within four points of league leaders ahead of meeting at Brandywell

Will Patching scores Derry City’s second goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against UCD at the Belfield Bowl. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Will Patching scores Derry City’s second goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against UCD at the Belfield Bowl. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Wed Sept 06 2023 - 22:31
UCD 0 Derry City 5

Will Patching stole the show at the Belfield Bowl with two stunning goals and a man of the match performance as Derry City cruised past UCD.

The emphatic victory moved Ruaidhrí Higgins’s troops to within four points of league leaders Shamrock Rovers with seven games remaining in the title race ahead of a crunch clash between the Candystripes and the Hoops at the Brandywell on September 15th.

The in-form Patching netted either side of the half-time interval with two sublime strikes before adding an assist for Brandon Kavanagh, who also notched up a brace of goals in a comprehensive victory for the Foylesiders.

Scottish striker Danny Mullan got the ball rolling after just two minutes as he nipped in between two UCD defenders at the near post to nod home the impressive Paul McMullan’s pinpoint cross.

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UCD did have their chances and on six minutes when Daniel Norris latched on to a long punt upfield by Jack Keaney and the winger cut inside before firing narrowly wide of the near post with his left foot.

Brian Maher, who produced a stunning performance in the 3-1 win over Dundalk last Friday at Oriel Park, was once again called into action and saved brilliantly with his chest to block Danu Kinsella-Bishop’s strike.

[ Premier Division table ]

Having narrowly missed the target with a strike from distance moments earlier, former Manchester City youth Patching then nonchalantly lobbed the ball into the back of the net from 12 yards after a cross from McMullan for a brilliant finish.

Four minutes later the ball was played wide on the left to Ben Doherty who took a touch before crossing dangerously towards the near post where Kavanagh nipped in front of his marker and steered the ball beyond the helpless Lorcan Healy to make it 3-0.

Derry added a fourth seven minutes into the second half and it was that man Patching again who received the ball from McMullan before taking the ball on to his left foot and curling into the corner of the net – his fourth goal in two games.

Patching turned provider 10 minutes later when he slotted into the path of Kavanagh who made his way into the penalty area and fired clinically into the net for his second of the match.

It was a professional display from the Candystripes who are on a run of six games unbeaten in the league and hot on the heels of Rovers after two wins in the space of five days.

UCD: Healy; Barr (O’Brien, 77), Keaney, Wells, Osam; Keane, Verdon (Curtis, 77); Brennan, Behan (Doyle, 53), Norris (Higgins, 53); Kinsella-Bishop (Raggett, 53).

DERRY CITY: Maher; Coll, S McEleney, McJannet (Todd, 59), Doherty; Diallo (McCay, 71), O’Reilly (P McEleney, 57), Patching (McEneff, 60); McMullan, Mullen (C Kavanagh, 57), B Kavanagh.

Referee: David Dunne.