Derry City took a giant step in their bid to claim the Premier Division title with an emphatic and deserved victory over an outclassed Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds last night.
Goals from Mark Farren, Stephen O'Flynn and Ciarán Martyn mean Derry are now two points clear of Cork City in the race for the title. And the two teams are now level on goal difference at plus 31 each although Derry have a superior goals scored record of 54 to Cork's 49.
But there were no premature celebrations from Derry boss Stephen Kenny who knows Cork still have a match in hand. Derry have just those two remaining fixtures at home to St Patrick's Athletic on Sunday week and then the final game against Cork at Turner's Cross on November 18th.
Derry made just two changes from the side that defeated UCD 2-0 at Belfield Park on Monday night with Paddy McCourt taking over from Killian Brennan on the left wing. Midfielder Kevin Deery failed a late fitness test and was replaced by Barry Molloy.
Bray boss Pat Devlin made three changes from the side hammered 5-0 by Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Monday with David Tyrrell returning to his left wing role, Robbie McGuinness in midfield and Kieran 'Tarzan' O'Brien partnering Stephen Fox in attack.
Derry totally dominated the early stages. Striker Stephen O'Flynn might have had the visitors in front after eight minutes when, with Bray keeper Chris O'Connor stranded, he headed wide from close range after a cross from central defender Peter Hutton on the right.
McCourt, always a threat down the left with his excellent ball control and neat touches, then took advantage of sloppy Bray defending to fire just wide of the target from 22 yards.
Derry made the breakthrough on 16 minutes when young Bray defender William Tyrrell failed to get in a headed clearance. The alert Ciarán Martyn was able to head across the face of goal for Mark Farren to shoot home his 17th league goal of the season from six yards.
Farren almost struck again but he saw his effort sail just over the bar after Molloy had set up a perfect opening. Bray were rarely seen as an attacking force although keeper David Forde did well to punch away a David Tyrrell cross after a rare mix-up in the visitors' defence. Then in the dying seconds of the first half Bray midfielder Philip Keogh fired over the bar from 22 yards.
In an effort to inject some life into their attack, Bray introduced Romanian striker Andrei Georgescu for David Tyrrell at half time. Soon it was Derry back on the attack with keeper O'Connor doing well to push an O'Flynn strike round the post on 56 minutes. But just two minutes later Derry stretched their lead and it was that man O'Flynn again.
Man of the Match McCourt produced moments of magic on the left when he rounded two Bray defenders and sent over an inch perfect cross for O'Flynn to head home at the near post.
Martyn added a third goal on 63 minutes when he swept the ball home after a Gareth McGlynn cross had taken a deflection off a Bray defender.
The only sour note of the night for Derry was when midfielder Molloy was shown the red card by Dublin referee Damien Hancock on 69 minutes for a foul on Michael Roche.
News of Waterford's 2-2 draw with Cork soon had the 400 Derry fans chanting 'There is only one Pat Dolan' - a reference of the ex-Cork boss who has beeen acting in an advisory capacity for Waterford in recent weeks.
BRAY WANDERERS: O'Connor; Long, Roche, Tresson, W.Tyrrell (Ryan 73); McGuinness, Caffrey, Keogh, D.Tyrrell (Georgescu 45); Fox, Kieran O'Brien.
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Delaney, Hutton, Hargan; McGlynn, Martyn, Molloy, McCourt; O'Flynn (Cash 86), Farren (Murphy 89).
Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).
