BOHEMIANS 2 DERRY CITY 0
An eight-point advantage over bottom side Shelbourne was the reward for Bohemians as they beat Derry City 2-0 at Dalymount Park on Friday night, writes ROBERT O’REARDON.
Ryan McEvoy struck twice to give his side two straight wins and moved Bohs up to ninth – that could lead to the club being mathematically safe of relegation as early as Monday evening.
The Gypsies’ recent record against the Candystripes has been poor to say the least but this demon was put to bed with ease.
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Bobby Browne and Owen Heary had their team fired up as they came out of the dressing room looking hungrier than their opponents and it paid off after just four minutes.
The ball was headed over the top and Stephen Traynor was bundled over by David McDaid inside the box having just beating the offside trip by inches.
Ryan McEvoy stepped up and placed the ball to the left of Derry keeper Ger Doherty, who guessed right but couldn’t do anything about it.
The confidence was coursing through the veins of those in red and black, and the chances began to come thick and fast.
Dinny Corcoran, key to the revival under the several different management teams in recent weeks, had a decent shot that flashed wide.
Declan Devine’s team began to take more of an interest in proceedings but once again McEvoy dealt them a huge blow.
After some great football in midfield, Keith Buckley found himself with the ball in midfield. He floated it up and McEvoy, the architect of the move, made a late run into the box.
He got his head to the ball and at first it looked as if it wouldn’t have the pace to beat the goalkeeper but Doherty couldn’t get near it and it was 2-0.
And that’s how it would stay, despite the Candystripes’ best efforts. Corcoran had a half-chance with a header at the beginning of the second half but the visitors had a couple of chances midway through the second half, including a heart-in-mouth moment for Dean Delany after a goalmouth scramble.
Corcoran was again in the thick of the action as Ryan McBride was given his marching orders for hauling down the former UCD man when he was through on goal. McBride was deemed to be the last man.
Despite an initial flurry of attacking intent from Bohs, Derry began to look a more composed side than they did when they their full complement of players.
Simon Madden came closest to pulling one back as he trickled the ball wide but that was that and there we joyful scenes at the end from both players and fans alike. One more win will surely do the trick and hopefully that could come away at Limerick on Monday evening.
BOHEMIANS: Delany, Pender, Lopes, Yaholadi, Byrne, Mulcahy, McEvoy, Moore, Buckley (Mulligan 85), Traynor, Corcoran (Lyons 92).
DERRY CITY: Doherty, Madden, S McEleney, McBride, Jarvis, McDaid (P McEleney 55), Higgins, McNamee, Duffy (Curran 80), Rafter, Patterson.