DANNY MULLEN bagged a brace as Derry City produced a morale-boosting victory over St Patrick’s Athletic at the Brandywell.
The Scotsman took his season’s tally to five with goals in either half to send the Candystripes into third spot, just three points off leaders Shelbourne.
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It is a result that also has them back level on points with Shamrock Rovers, who defeated Derry 3-1 last Friday.
Mullen, who scored a stoppage-time winner on the Saints’ last visit to Foyleside back in March, got the ball rolling with a clinical finish on the volley on 16 minutes.
His strike partner Pat Hoban pounced at close range on 52 minutes after Danny Rogers parried Mark Connolly’s curling effort into his path.
Jon Daly’s men hit back two minutes later with a brilliantly executed overhead kick from Conor Keely.
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But Derry restored their two-goal advantage three minutes later as Mullen’s bullet header from Will Patching’s searching free-kick nestled in the net.
After one win in six matches before last night, this was an important win which will breathe new life into the Brandywell club’s title charge.
Pat’s made a promising start. Chris Forrester crossed dangerously into the six-yard box towards Mason Melia and the 16-year-old striker might have done better with his header but directed it straight into the hands of a grateful Brian Maher.
Melia then failed to connect fully with Brandon Kavanagh’s corner so Maher went untested.
But it was City who took the lead on 16 minutes from the home side’s first meaningful attack.
Patching worked the ball out to the left towards Ben Doherty who delivered a pinpoint cross into the six-yard box where Mullen got away from Anto Breslin and volleyed home.
Forrester controlled the ball with a sublime first touch when Jamie Lennon picked out the midfielder’s run but the Saints skipper attempted an audacious lob which sailed off target.
Doherty then played a short corner to Patching on 31 minutes and the Englishman picked out Paul McMullan in space on the edge of the box but he fired his effort over the crossbar.
Ex-Derry man Kavanagh did brilliantly to skip past Ciarán Coll before curling towards the far corner of the net but Maher impressively got his fingertips to the ball at full stretch to keep Derry’s lead intact.
McMullan fired narrowly over the bar early in the second half.
But Derry did double their lead on 56 minutes when Connolly turned his man on the edge of the penalty area and curled towards the back post.
Keeper Rogers parried it away but it fell to Hoban who reacted quickest and found the far corner of the net.
The visitors were back in it two minutes later from a corner as Keely’s overhead kick from eight yards hit the underside of the bar on the way in.
Derry quickly restored their two-goal advantage, though, as Mullen met Patching’s free with a powerful header for 3-1.
Melia and Forrester both had chances to reduce the deficit, the former heading over and the latter seeing his effort saved by Maher.
But Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men held on for a fifth home win of the season.
SUN STAR MAN
Danny Mullen (Derry)
DERRY CITY: Maher 7; Boyce 7, Connolly 8, McJannet 7, Coll 7; Doherty 7 (Harkin 90, 6), Patching 7, O’Reilly 7, McMullan 7; Mullen 8 (Kelly 84, 6), Hoban 7.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers 6; Turner 6, Redmond 5, (McLaughlin 17, 6), Keeley 6, Breslin 5; Bolger 6, Lennon 6 (Palmer 69, 6), Forrester 6, B Kavanagh 7 (McClelland 83, 6); Melia 7 (C Kavanagh 83, 6), Keating 6 (Mulraney h-t, 6).
REFEREE: K O’Sullivan.
