Keeley double ensures Drogs remain top
Drogheda Conor Keeley pushed forward by teammates to take the plaudits from supporters at the end of the game. Pic: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
DROGHEDA United defender Conor Keeley emerged the unlikely hero at Brandywell as his three-minute brace turned this game on its head to ensure the Boynesiders remain on top of the table.
Liam Boyce turned from hero to zero inside two second half minutes having opened his Derry account when rising above Keeley to head home on 61 minutes.
He was then shown a second yellow card by referee Rob Harvey for bringing down Keely on the halfway line.
Drogheda took full advantage of the extra man and within two minutes Keeley fired past Brian Maher after Shane Farrell picked him out with a cross from the right.
The Meath man was in dreamland moments later as he volleyed into the roof of the Derry net after the home defence failed to clear their lines to turn the match on its head.
Warren Davis added a third to complete the turnaround on 84 minutes as the Boynesiders claimed a fifth win of the season.
It will be a bitter pill to swallow for Tiernan Lynch whose team were in full control up until that fourth red card of the season for the Brandywell men after just nine games.
It was a fourth defeat of the season for Derry who are now seven points behind the early leaders.
The best chance of the half arrived on 32 minutes after a superb flowing move from Derry.
Ronan Boyce picked out the run of O'Reilly who got in behind Conor Kane before crossing towards Liam Boyce. With his back to goal the striker laid it into the path of Duffy but his low strike from 14 yards was saved well by Luke Dennison.
Farrell's inswinging corner kick towards the back post saw Oluwa rise highest but he headed wide as the teams went into the break deadlocked.
Derry came out with intent in the second half and finally broke Drogheda's resolve on 61 minutes as Liam Boyce opened his Derry City account.
Ronan Boyce crossed invitingly from the right and the Belfast man rose above Keeley and headed past Dennison for his first goal in eight appearances.
The game suddenly flipped on its head less than two minutes later as the City scorer was shown a second yellow card for tripping Keeley.
It was a moment of madness which ended Boyce's evening and that sending off totally changed the game trajectory.
Two minutes later Drogheda took full advantage and Keeley was at the heart of it once again as he met Farrell's cross with a powerful first time strike into the Derry net.
Drogheda had their tails up and within three minutes they were in front for the first time. Connolly's defensive header fell to Keeley who chested it down before volleying into the roof of the net as Ronan Boyce and Kevin Holt failed to close him down.
It was a disastrous three minutes for the home side who appeared to capitulate after that sending off.
Lynch went to his bench into an attempt to stem the tide and subs, Gavin Whyte and Shane Ferguson almost made an instant impact. Ex-Portsmouth forward Whyte rose to head Ferguson's cross goalwards but Dennison was equal to it.
It was Drogheda who struck again with six minutes to go from Owen Lambe's long throw-in which was headed further into the danger area by Holt. Carl Winchester headed towards the unmarked Davis who fired into the net as the Brandywell stands emptied.
Drogheda march on but Derry players will be scratching their heads after this one having been in total control until Boyce's dismissal.
Maher 5, Boyce 5, Connolly 5, Holt 6, Cann 5 (Ferguson 6, 75); Winchester 7, Benson 6 (Whyte 6, 75), O'Reilly 6, Mullen 6 (Patton 6, 81), L Boyce 6, Duffy 7.
Dennison 7; Kane 7, Quinn 6, Keely 9, Markey 8, Oluwa 7, Farrell 8 (Heeney 6, 72), Bolger 7, Brennan 7 (Doyle 6, 81), Lambe 7, Davis 8.
Rob Harvey (Dublin).
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