Derry upset 10-man Cork City in emotional night at the Brandywell

Derry City 1 Cork City 0

The jersey, which was presented to his wife, Terri-Louise before the kick-off by Ireland and West Brom winger, James McClean, was applauded by the attendance of 3,000.

And in the 18th minute, the striker’s memory was marked by another round of applause.

The win, therefore, will put to bed last weekend’s disaster against Finn Harps and, no doubt, new Derry boss, Kenny Shiels will have slept well after last night’s hugely improved performance.

For Cork City, however, the slender defeat will prove disappointing, but the late dismissal of Greg Bolger will have compounded their woes - the midfielder now set to sit out an automatic three match ban.

Overall, scoring chances were at a premium throughout the opening period, but it was the home side who created the best of them.

However, the best change of the opening half arrived on the stroke of half-time.

Derry’s, Ronan Curtis did well to pick the pockets of Bolger and as the winger bore down on goal, he opted to pass the ball to the advancing Barry McNamee who lashed the ball high into the side setting and a superb chance was lost.

McNamee, however, made amends in the 59th when involved in a superb flowing move up the left flank. The Donegal man combined well with Curtis to set the winger in to guide a low shot into the net giving McNulty no chance.

Cork boss, John Caulfield, then introduced two strikers with Karl Sheppard and Mark O’Sullivan brought into the play in an attempt to redress the balance but the “Leesiders” problems doubled when they had Bolger dismissed.

The midfielder was shown a straight red card in the 80th minute when he brought Curtis crashing down to earth with a tackle from behind as the winger attempted to hit on the break.

Cork huffed and puffed afterwards with 10 men but with Derry centre-back, Ryan McBride, giving a captain’s performance, it was to be Derry’s day, their season now up and running.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Vemmelund, McBride, Barry, Jarvis; McCormack; McGlynn, Monaghan, McNamee, Curtis (Ward, 88); Patterson.

CORK CITY: McNulty; O’Connell, Bennett, Browne, Dunleavy; Morrissey, Bolger; Turner (Sheppard, 62), Holohan (Beattie, 53), Dooley (O’Sullivan, 69); Maguire.

Referee: D. Tomney (Dublin)