DERRY CITY: Shiels '˜pleased' as Nathan Boyle strike gives City victory

PLEASED . . Derry City manager Kenny Shiels.

NATHAN BOYLE’s sixth goal of the season saw off Wexford Youths at Brandywell as Derry City consolidated third place in the Airtricity Premier Division table.

Boyle reacted quickest to Aaron Barry’s punt upfield and deftly lifted the ball over the head of Graham Doyle after 18 minutes.

Neither side really got into their stride in a game which, understandably, lacked tempo and intensity given it was the first game after a three week break in action.

Wexford had several chances to grab an equaliser and Josh Daniels had to clear Gary Delaney’s header off the line late in the second half after Gerard Doherty was forced to make an outstanding save to keep out Chris Kenny’s header after Derry failed to deal with Craig McCabe’s long throw-in.

In fact Derry boss, Kenny Shiels was full of praise for his goalkeeper for producing three ‘sensational’ saves to deny the visitors as the home lot’s slender lead looked precarious at times.

However, he felt his side fully deserved the victory which moved the Candystripes two points clear of fourth placed Shamrock Rovers who were held scoreless by Cork.

“I thought it was a decent performance if you put it into perspective,” said Shiels. “If we had of been playing Dundalk and performed like that and won 1-0, people would be saying it was a great performance.

“That’s because people are falling into this trap of underestimating Wexford. They’ve drawn away to Cork. They should have beat Dundalk away and they beat Shamrock Rovers. That speaks volumes for them. They play for long throw-ins and free kicks and every time you give a free-kick away in your own half it’s a chance. They have big players. They also passed the ball quite well but I don’t think anyone could say that 1-0 flatters us.

“I know Gerard (Doherty) was sensational and made three really fantastic saves but their goalkeeper made a lot of saves and we had chances to wrap it up. You have to give Wexford credit for making a fist of it.

But I’m happy with what I would say was a good performance,” he concluded.

Derry City: Doherty; Vemmelund, McBride, Barry, Jarvis; McEneff, Ward (Holden, h/t); Boyle (McDermott, 64), McNamee, Daniels; Patterson (Allen, 80).

Wexford Youths: Doyle; McCabe, R. Delaney, G. Delaney,O’Keefe (pEARE, 88); Mulligan (Dunne, 75), Kenny (Whittle, 75), Bonner, Molloy; Murphy; Furlong.

Referee – T. Marshall (Fermanagh).