Premier Division: Derry City 3 (Mullen 15, 46; Whyte 25), Sligo Rovers 0
Danny Mullen bagged a brace against basement side Sligo Rovers as a resurgent Derry City moved to within three points of the top of the table.
The Scotsman made it three goals in two games with goals either side of Gavin Whyte’s coolly taken goal, which made it a comfortable night on Foyleside for the home side.
It was the first time since September 2023 that Derry scored three goals in successive matches.
The comprehensive victory, arguably the Candystripes’ best performance of the season, was the second win on the trot for Tiernan Lynch’s troops, who will be seeking nine points from nine when they travel to Waterford on Friday.
As for Sligo, the Bit O’Red remain rooted to the bottom of the table after their second loss to Derry this season.
Lynch watched from the stands as he served his suspension for a red card issued during the 3-2 victory over Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Good Friday.
The Belfast man named an unchanged side for the first time in his first 11 games as Derry boss, despite the return of Liam Boyce and Adam O’Reilly from suspension with the pair named on the bench.
John Russell also named the same starting 11 from the team which thumped Waterford 4-0 at the weekend.
With Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson watching, Derry made a slick start in the pouring rain.
When Michael Duffy slipped in Robbie Benson, the Meath man crossed towards Whyte, but his first-time strike was deflected into the air by John Mahon and Sam Sargeant claimed it.
Sam Todd fired a dipping shot on the volley just wide of the mark moments later.
Sligo settled and on eight minutes Owen Elding did brilliantly to work his way across the edge of the Derry penalty area before his strike skimmed off the surface and went the wrong side of the post, as Brian Maher scrambled to cover his goalmouth.
At the other end, Duffy picked out the run of Whyte who ran from deep into the penalty area, but his side-footed effort from 10 yards was gathered safely into the hands of Sargeant.
Derry broke the deadlock on 14 minutes when Whyte’s strike from 12 yards was blocked by McElroy and Mullen reacted quickest as he tucked the rebound into the net from close range.
There were suspicions of handball from the Scotsman before he applied his finish and the Sligo players raced towards referee Marc Lynch to protest, but were waved away by the official.
The home side were ramping up the pressure and when Sam Todd found Duffy’s run in behind Conor Reynolds, the winger turned back on his left foot and his shot from a tight angle was turned behind for a corner.
Derry doubled their lead on 26 minutes when Whyte out-paced Jake Doyle-Hayes from deep inside the Sligo half, raced 40 yards towards goal and calmly slotted past Sargeant.
Jad Hakiki tried his luck from 25 yards with a blistering strike which sailed just wide of the target with the last action of the half.
Just 56 seconds into the second half, Derry stretched their lead to 3-0 when Dom Thomas’s inswinging corner kick was headed in at the near post by Mullen for his second of the match.
Duffy came so close to getting on the scoresheet with a powerful strike from outside the box, but it sailed narrowly wide.
The Derry winger was in behind the Sligo defence once again on 65 minutes, but this time Sargeant denied him at his near post with a smart save to turn it behind.
Liam Boyce’s snapshot from close range was saved by Sargeant on 80 minutes, but the former Hearts striker was causing problems late on for the Sligo defence.
Moments later, fellow sub Sean Patton did well to cross low into the six yard box, but Liam Boyce blazed over the crossbar at full stretch.
DERRY CITY: B Maher 7; R Boyce 7 (H Cann 6, 74), M Connolly 7, K Holt 7, S Todd 7; D Thomas 7, C Winchester 8, R Benson 7 (L Boyce 7, 64), M Duffy 8 (P McMullan 6, 81); G Whyte 8 (A O’Reilly 7, 64); D Mullen 8 (S Patton 7, 74).
SLIGO ROVERS: S Sargeant 7; C Reynolds 6 (Patton 6, 61), J Mahon 6, G McElroy 5, R Hutchinson 6; W Fitzgerald 6 (O Van Hattum 6, 84), R Manning 6 (Mallon 6, 60), J Hakiki 6 (M Wolfe 6, 60), J Doyle-Hayes 6, O Elding 6; C Kavanagh 6 (F Lomboto 6, 60).
Referee: Marc Lynch (Galway).
Attendance: 3,282
