LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION Derry City 1 St Patrick's Athletic 0: SUBSTITUTE CIARÁN Martyn was Derry City's goalscoring hero last night after Stephen Kenny's men overcame the dismissal of defender Clive Delaney to record a morale boosting victory over St Patrick's Athletic at the Brandywell.
Until Martyn’s dramatic 79th winner, it seemed the home side would be content to sit and soak up pressure after a controversial first-half red card for central defender Delaney. Martyn and fellow substitute Tom McManus had other ideas, however. Picking up possession on the right, McManus made his way along the line before firing over a cross which Thomas Stewart did superbly to direct into the path of Martyn and the midfielder made no mistake with a brilliant finish high into Gary Rogers’ goal.
The winner came on a rare break for Derry who, despite being a man down, refused to buckle under pressure from the Dubliners.
Derry started the brighter with the slick surface making for a fast paced opening quarter although neither team seriously threatened the goal.
Derry, who started without influential captain Peter Hutton after he was ruled out with a thigh injury, were dealt a further defensive blow with Delaney’s dismissal on 31 minutes for a second booking. Booked after a 17th minute sliding challenge on Mark Quigley, the big defender appeared to misjudge Enda Stevens’ pass forward and, with Quigley threatening to go clear, used his hand to block the through ball. Referee Paul Tuite immediately brandished the red card.
The loss of Delaney forced Derry into a defensive reshuffle, with Eddie McCallion joining Stephen Gray in the centre and Gareth McGlynn moving from midfield to right back, with Mark Farren now ploughing a lone furrow up front.
Stephen Kenny’s men held on for a valuable three points which moved them into striking distance of third placed Cork City.
DERRY CITY: Doherty, McCallion, Delaney, Gray (McClean 45 mins), Higgins, Stewart, O'Brien, McGlynn, Deery, Farren (McManus 75 mins), Scullion (Martyn, 53mins).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers, Partridge, Harris, Byrne, Dempsey (Cawley, halftime), Quigley, Ryan (O'Connor 69 mins), Gavin (Lynch, half-time), Guy, Stevens, O'Brien.
Referee: Paul Tuite(Dublin)
