Derry 2-0 CCFC

Report from EchoLive.ie

Goals from Patrick McEleney and Jordon McEneff were enough to give the hosts all three points but City will be encouraged by their display.

Colin Healy made three changes from the side that lost to Bohemains on the opening day of the season, with Darragh Crowley, Jonas Hakkinen and Ethon Varian, coming into the starting 11 in place of Tunde Owolabi, Albin Wimbo and Kevin Custovic, who all were named on the substitute bench. Cork native Adam O’Reilly missed the game for the hosts due to injury.

Question marks would have been raised by the inclusion of Tobi Oluwayemi in the starting 11 after his mistake against the Gypies last week, but the Celtic loanee looked unfazed by that error. His distribution was excellent and the way in which he barked orders to his teammates to ensure they were in the right position, was quite impressive.

Derry did go within inches of taking the lead when Jordon McEneff’s deflected strike went just wide of the City goal with Oluwayemi helpless to prevent it hitting the back of the net had the shot hit the target.

City almost drew level two minutes before the break but Barry Coffey was denied by Maher. Despite trailing at the break, City will have been pleased by their first-half display and would have felt a little hard done to going in behind at the interval.

City’s joy was short-lived when McEneff doubled his side’s advantage. The midfielder crept into the City box before getting on the end of Graydon’s low cross to guide the ball into the City net.

Maher performed heroics late on when he somehow managed to claw the ball from crossing the line after Ben Doherty had misplaced his header back to the keeper.

Referee: Damien MacGraith. [event_performance 122528]