WATCH: Derry City goals as Pat Hoban earns opening day win over Drogheda

The Boynesiders won this fixture on Foyleside 1-0 last April when Elicha Ahui scored a late winner as both teams ended the match with 10 men.

This was the type of game Derry would likely have drawn last season but not with ace striker Pat Hoban in their ranks!

And the former Dundalk hitman did exactly what Ruaidhri Higgins brought him to Brandywell to do with an instinctive finish in the second half to earn his new club a precious win.

It was the first win on the opening day for Derry since they last opened a campaign at home - back in 2019 when defeating UCD on their home patch.

Ronan Boyce got the ball rolling with a wonderfully executed strike on his left foot from 25 yards before Brian Maher saved Ryan Brennan's penalty as the game sparked into life at the start of the second half.

And then Hoban did what he's born to do as he reacted quickest to Andrew Wogan's save to steer the ball into the net.

Evan Weir pulled one back from a deflected free-kick but Drogheda couldn't find an equaliser and Derry clinched a thoroughly deserved win to get their season off to a perfect start in front of a bumper home attendance.

Up next, a trip to the Sligo Showgrounds next Saturday night.