Derry get early season boost after capturing President's Cup
DRINK IT IN: Derry’s Sadou Diallo and Adam O’Reilly with The President's Cup. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Derry City gained a significant confidence boost prior to the start of the new season having claimed their first President's Cup title when defeating current champions, Shamrock Rovers at the Brandywell.
A near capacity attendance of 4,000 saw President Michael Higgins introduced to the players beforehand while the Derry supporters also expressed sympathy to team boss, Ruaidhri Higgins, following the sudden death of his brother Kevin in midweek, with one minute of applause.
However, on a disappointing note, news of a suspected bomb alert in close proximity to the stadium saw the PSNI forced to close off routes outside of the ground.
The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris, was in attendance but left before 15 minutes before the final whistle.
On the pitch, neither side was prepared to give a inch, referee Neil Doyle, was involved in the action from an early stage when producing a yellow card to Rovers centre-half, Daniel Cleary following his robust challenge to haly.
Both sides threatened during those early stages but it was the home side who moved into the driving seat in the 23rd minute.
The busy Michael Duffy broke on the left flank and his low centre into the danger area was turned into the net by the alert Will Patching from close range.
And Derry doubled their lead in the 39th minute following a goalkeeping howler by Rovers keeper, Leon Pohls.
Another superb deep crossfield pass from centre-back, Mark Connolly again found Duffy in space and and having moved the ball forward the winger opted to let fly from 20 yards, the ball finding its way to the net through the hands and legs of the stunned visiting custodian.
Johnny Kenny brought the best out of Brian Maher in Rovers' first attack while at the other end Cian Kavanagh smashed a shot off the Rovers crossbar, before the ball was lashed into the side-netting.
And during the end-to-end action, Derry's Sadou Diallo was carded for a heavy challenge on the half-way line.
Derry sub, Jamie McGonigle had a shot blocked in the 70th minute when well placed while Rovers sub, Graham Burke, had a shot deflected into the path of the Derry keeper minutes later.
Maher; Coll, Connolly, S McEleney, McJannett; Doherty, Diallo, O'Reilly, Patching, Duffy (Ward 87); Kavanagh (McGonigle 56).
Pohls, Cleary (Clarke 46), Lops, Grace, Watts (Greene 65), Nugent (Farrugia 46), Towell (Byrne 46), Poom, Kenny (Power 65), Burt (Burke 46), Cruise.
N. Doyle (Dublin).
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