Impressive Derry turn some heads

Kevin Mahon said before his team hit the road for Dublin that they might be taken more seriously as title contenders if they could come to Inchicore and win. In the end it wasn't so much the result, though, as the manner of it which bolsters their credibility.

It's early days, of course, and with Rovers and Bohemians winning comfortably elsewhere, taking the opening night of the campaign as a barometer would suggest we're in for a wide-open race.

Still, Derry were impressive, and winning at Richmond, where the champions went unbeaten until March last season, is not easy. It's even more difficult if you allow yourselves to go behind.

When Ian Gilzean broke free to head home Martin Russell's free from the left after 23 minutes, the game looked to be up for City who were already having problems coping with the Dubliners' quick breaks from midfield.

All the noteworthy action was around David Platt's goal, and the City goalkeeper must have been relieved after just six minutes when Trevor Molloy was put clear only to miss the target.

For poor finishing, though, City stole the show in the second period. With Beckett switched from the right into the centre of midfield, where he made an outstanding contribution, they gradually wrestled themselves into an increasingly fast and exciting contest.

Last season's inability to find the net, however, looked like haunting Mahon's men who managed just seven goals in the closing 12 games last season. Hence the arrival of Andy Moran from Tranmere, where the young striker's 30 goals in the reserves still couldn't earn him a place in the first team.

When Liam Coyle set him up perfectly shortly after the break, though, and the new arrival took an age to select Trevor Wood's chest as his spot, it was easier to see how John Aldridge continued to ignore him than how he got the 30 goals.

But the luck ran out for the St Patrick's defence after 76 minutes when Wood punched a free from the left only as far as Beckett whose chip was almost, but not quite, taken off the line by Paul Campbell.

Had St Patrick's been prepared to settle for the draw, they probably would have got it. But Liam Buckley's side, were caught by a classic counter-attack.

Floyd Gilmour was sent tearing down the left, and Beckett arrived at full speed to drive the centering pass into the bottom left corner, leaving Wood, the rest of the home team and the 3,000 supporters hanging their heads in disbelief.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Wood; Campbell; Croly, Hawkins, Callaghan, Doyle; Harte, Morgan, Russell; Gilzean, Molloy. Subs: Hallows for Russell (84 mins).

DERRY CITY: Platt; McCallion, Kelly, Hutton, Hargan; Beckett, Doherty, Hegarty, McIvor; Coyle, Moran. Subs: Gallagher for mcIvor (54 mins), McCaul for Moran (72 mins), Gilmour for Coyle (84 mins).

Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).