Derry City back on track as Longford put to the sword

Derry City 4 Longford Town 0

Derry City put their recent 5-0 home drubbing by Dundalk to bed thanks to this very comfortable victory over the basement side at the Brandywell.

And while the home side dominated the opening exchanges with Conor McCormack and Barry McNamee going close to breaking the deadlock, the visitors were always dangerous on the break through lively front men Lee Duffy and Eddie Dsane.

However, the game was turned on its head before the interval after Longford midfielder Kevin O’Connor experienced five minutes of madness.

Having raised an arm to block a Nathan Boyle cross when inside the area in the 40th minute, he received a yellow card before referee Rob Harvey pointed to the spot.

Derry’s Aaron McEneff hammered the ball home to put the home side in the driving seat.

But O’Connor’s woes were compounded within five minute when he brought McEneff crashing down to earth as the Derry player attempted to break on the counter and a second yellow preceded the obligatory sending off.

After the break, Derry began to boss the ball with the extra man but they frustrated with the final pass.

However, an inspired substitution on the hour finally put the game out of Longford’s reach.

Derry boss Kenny Shiels called Nathan Boyle ashore in the 60th minute with, Lukas Schubert entering the fray and he enjoyed a magnificent introduction.

In fact, within two minutes the Austrian made a superb run on the blind side to meet McCormack's incisive pass before gleefully tucking the ball into the far corner past the advancing Ryan Coulter.

Derry were then awarded what appeared a very dubious penalty kick in the 71st minute, Longford's Pat Flynn adjudged to have fouled Schubert inside the area before the referee pointed to the spot.

On this occasion Rory Patterson claimed possession of the ball but justice was served when the striker failed to hit the target.

That said, the home side did manage to add a third goal in the 73rd minute. Patterson produced a superb lob but with Coulter back-peddling the goalkeeper did really well to claw the ball out with his fingertips only to find McNamee gaining possession and he took full advantage from close range.

Patterson then made amends for his penalty miss in the 83rd minute with a strike from close range

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Vemmelund, Barry, Jarvis; McCormack, McEneff; Boyle (Schubert, 60 mins), McNamee (Allan, 84 mins), Curtis (Daniels, 80 mins); Patterson.

LONGFORD TOWN: Coulter; Dillon (Gannon, 67 mins), Nkelu, Haverty, Flynn; Hughes, O'Connor, Simon, Powell; Duffy (McGlynn, h/t), Dsane (Sullivan, 76 mins).

Referee: R Harvey (Dublin)