Derry City blitz Longford Town

Derry City 4 Longford Town 0: Five minutes of madness cost Longford Town, dearly at the Brandywell.

In fact the game was turned on its head in the 40th minute when Longford’s Kevin O’Connor received a yellow card for handball inside the penalty area, Derry’s Aaron McEneff netting from the spot.

And five minutes later the same Longford player was sent to the dressing room following an over-robust tackle on McEneff as the Derry player attempt to break forward, O’Connor receiving a second yellow before the red.

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 but 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 within two minutes the Austrian made a superb run to meet McCormack’s pass before tucking the ball into the far corner.

Derry were then awarded what appeared a very dubious penalty kick in the 71st minute. On this occasion Rory Patterson claimed of the ball but justice was done when the striker failed to hit the target.

The home side did manage a third goal in the 73 minute through McNamee and Patterson 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), McNamee (Allan, 84), Curtis (Daniels, 80); Patterson.

LONGFORD TOWN:

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

Referee - R. Harvey (Dublin)