Derry City 7 Waterford FC 2
A magnificent display by Derry City saw them brush aside a Waterford side with consummate ease in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division at the Brandywell.
And while 34 year old Liam Boyce grabbed the match ball with an excellent hattrick, the conductor throughout was Michael Duffy who contributed four assists as well as a goal of his own in a man of the match display that had the crowd on their feet to applaud his performance.
John Coleman welcomed back Conan Noonan to the starting eleven following his omission due to his loan agreement last week while Stephen McMullan paid the price for the mistake against Rovers with Brad Wade coming in for a first league start.
Derry only had to wait for five minutes for the opening goal when Mark Connolly swept the ball out to the right wing where Ronan Boyce was waiting. He slipped it to Gavin Whyte who then squared it to Liam Boyce who slotted it to the net.
They were two up on twenty four minutes when Boyce grabbed his second when he met another ball following a great run down the left from Duffy and twelve minutes later Saudo Diallo thundered home a shot off the underside of the crossbar from 25 yards.
Duffy then turned provider for Mark Connolly who met his corner with a glancing header that nestled in the net.
Waterford were given some hope minutes after the restart when Padraig Amond pounced on a rare Derry mistake but the four goal cushion was restored by Duffy three minutes later. Boyce completed his hat-trick on fifty seven minutes when he touched home a Duffy cross at the near post and Gavin Whyte completed the rout sixteen minutes from time when he curled a lovely effort inside the upright.
And Amond grabbed his second of the night on seventy nine minutes when he latched onto a quick throw in from Conan Noonan but it was a mere consolation.
Derry City: B Maher, R Boyce, M Connolly, M Duffy (R Benson 77′) G Whyte (A O Reilly 74′), S Diallo, H Cann, C Winchester (A Frizzell 77′), K Holt (S Ferguson 74′), S Todd, L Boyce (D Mullen 64′)
Waterford FC: B Wade, R Burke (J Demspey 64′) A Boyle, G Horton, R McDonald (D McMenamy 77′), J Olayinka (K Whyte 63′), P Amond, D Leahy, T Lonergan (T Coyle 64′), S Glenfield (R Mansfield 63′), C Noonan
Referee: B McMaster (NI)
