Soccer

Ronan Boyce the hero as Derry City keep on rolling

Candystripes secure fourth-straight win as Sligo’s miserable run continues

Ronan Boyce was Derry’s hero againast Sligo. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Sun Aug 22 2021 - 12:01

Sligo Rovers 1 Derry City 2

Derry City defender Ronan Boyce was the hero at the Showgrounds on Saturday, as his late winner secured a fourth straight Premier Division win.

Boyce followed up on Jamie Malone’s half-cleared cross to smash the ball into the top corner and condemn third-placed Sligo Rovers to their seventh successive defeat.

It was a late sucker punch for the home side in an entertaining tie, as the Candystripes moved to fourth in the table, just one point off their hosts.

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They had taken the lead after a bright start with an 11th minute thunderbolt from Joe Thomson.

The midfielder gave Sligo keeper Ed McGinty no chance with a drive from the edge of the box after Evan McLaughlin rolled a free into his path.

But the hosts finished the first half strongly, with youngster Johnny Kenny in lively form up front.

He firstly saw a header tipped over the bar by Derry keeper Nathan Gartside, and then missed the target from a good position inside the area after a neat pass from Jordan Gibson.

He forced another save off Gartside when he raced onto a slip from Boyce, but finally got his goal on 42 minutes, as he turned home Mark Byrne’s cross.

Sligo: McGinty, Banks, Buckley, Mahon, Horgan, Morahan (Cawley 76), McDonnell, Gibson, Byrne (Parkes 80), Figueira, Kenny.

Derry: Gartside, Boyce, Toal, Coll, Malone (Cole 88), Lafferty, Thomson, McLaughlin (Hery 61), Harkin, McGonigle (Fitzgerald 72), Ogedi-Uzokwe.

Referee: N Doyle.

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