Drogheda United 0-3 Derry City

 

Derry cruised to victory in what will surely go down as one of the most one-sided contests of the season.

 

City opened their account after ten minutes as Drogheda were too busy claiming a hand ball in centre field when James McClean sent the ball out right to Eamon Zayed who all too easily brushed off the attentions of Philip Hand to drive into the box and send his shot to the net.

 

With their first opportunity of the match Tiernan Mulvenna flashed a header wide for the home side but normal service was quickly resumed at the other end when Gareth McGlynn created an opening only to see his shot saved by keeper Stephen Trimble.

 

Derry should have been out of sight before the break but they failed to convert a number of chances that came their way.  Daniel Lafferty sent a good ball into McClean who fluffed his shot before Alan McNally then felled McClean on the edge of the box only for Ruaidhri Higgins to clip the free narrowly over.

 

McGlynn was next up to cause problems for a rocky looking United defence as his delivery was missed entirely by Zayed before it found McClean who guided his header only just over the bar.

 

On the cusp of the half-time whistle Zayed, now back helping out in defence, sent a long ball down the park that wasn’t dealt with by the Drogheda backline and fell to Patrick McEleney who was unlucky to see his attempted lob graze the woodwork.

 

The second half proceeded in the same vein as the first with Derry totally on the offensive and how man of the moment James McClean didn’t help himself to a hat-trick in the opening twenty minutes was a mystery.

 

First up his goal bound strike was unknowingly turned out for a corner off a defender, he then dragged his effort across the face of goal before net minder Trimble denied the live wire striker with a fine stop.

 

Derry’s frustration in front of goal continued as Zayed blasted wide and forced Trimble into a terrific save.  However, the visitor’s total dominance was finally rewarded on 74 minutes when McClean provided the cross for Gareth McGlynn who steered his header to the net.

 

Zayed then had an opportunity to make the score line more reflect what had happened over the hour and a half but yet again Trimble managed to deny Derry and keep the margin of defeat respectable.

 

But there was nothing the Drogheda keeper could do to prevent Zayed pouncing for his second on the night and Derry’s third right on fulltime as the in-form striker slooted the ball home from close range.

 

Drogheda:  Trimble, O’Brien C, Hand, Ekanem, McNally, Gannon, O’Brien M (Clarke 82), McMahon, Corcoran, Mulvenna (Freeman 82), Brennan (Quigley 82).

Derry:  Doherty, McCallion, Greacen, McEleney S, McEleney P (McLaughlin 90), McClean, McBride, McGlynn, Higgins, Zayed, Lafferty.  Referee:  D. Tomney (Dublin).