SOCCER SETANTA SPORTS CUP (First Round, First legs): Lisburn Distillery 0 Derry City 4:RORY PATTERSON'S perfect hat-trick start to his Derry City career all but booked the Candystripes a quarter-final berth in the Setanta Sports Cup.
In spite of the rugged playing surface, City waltzed around the Irish Premiership strugglers and were in front in the 23rd minute when Stephen McLaughlin nodded home Simon Madden’s cross.
Former Coleraine and Linfield striker Patterson netted the first of his tally in the 30th minute. The Tyrone man’s second came from the penalty spot before John Cunningham’s side were reduced to 10-men – David Cushley seeing red for retaliating to a Ryan McBride challenge after 58 minutes.
Moments later, Patterson rose to head beyond goalkeeper Billy Brennan to complete his memorable hat-trick.
Derry manager Declan Devine praised his striker’s efforts.
“Rory Patterson poses a real goal threat, but your centre-forward is only as good as the service he receives and Rory would be the first to say that the service he got was first class.”
“It was the perfect start. I think our performance shows the hunger in the squad. I wanted the boys to get up and running early . . . we have a bit of talent in our squad and if that talent works hard I’m confident we can do well.”
City host the Lisburn club at the Brandywell on February 20th, for the second leg. While it appears a foregone conclusion, Devine remains cautious.
“It’s never a formality. We could have been on the end of it had it been the other way round. Had they taken their chances early on, we could have found ourselves one or two down,” added the former Derry goalkeeper.
LISBURN DISTILLERY:Brennan, Callaghan, Traynor, Simpson (W. Garrett h/t), Ferguson; Cushley, McCullough, Kilmartin, Thompson; Liggett, Gawley (J. Hughes 68).
DERRY CITY:Doherty; Madden (M Barr, 81), McEleney, McBride, Crossan; McEleney, Higgins, Molloy, McLaughlin; McDaid, Patterson.
Referee: M Smith (Belfast).
Next Up . . .
The other two first round, first leg games will be played tonight, with Bohemians hosting Portadown at Dalymount Park (7.15pm, live on Setanta Ireland) and Cliftonville hosting St Patrick’s Athletic (7.45pm). The seeded teams (Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers, Crusaders, and Linfield) join at the next (quarter-final) stage.
