Derry City suffer biggest defeat under Ruaidhri Higgins in a night to forget in Inchicore

St Patrick's Athletic 4

Derry City 1

DERRY City lost further ground to leaders Shamrock Rovers after a disastrous Bank Holiday Monday in Inchicore where they fell to their biggest defeat under Ruaidhri Higgins' watch.

It was the first time under his reign Derry lost by a three goal margin and it could've been more on a night to forget in Dublin as Pat's drew level on points with the Foylesiders while the Candy Stripes are now four points behind the Rovers.

John Alan McGrath gave the home side a deserved lead after 36 minutes when Brian Maher failed to keep out his shot from distance.

Eoin Doyle could've bagged a first half hat-trick but he finally got hit the target just after the hour mark when he raced clean through on goal and fired past Maher from a tight angle.

Cian Kavanagh, who was one of the only shining lights for Higgins’ troops on the night, hit back for Derry three minutes later but Chris Forrester's glancing header from a corner put Pat's back in the driving seat.

Substitute Mark Doyle then ended the rout when he found himself one-one-one with Maher and he made no mistake to end a horrible night for the visitors who have failed to win in their last three.

Higgins will be hugely concerned by the manner of the defeat but also injuries sustained to Patrick McEleney, Michael Duffy and Cameron Dummigan.

The City boss has enjoyed his trips to the capital this season having dropped just two points in five previous visits.

That 1-1 draw against St Pat's in the opening day of the season was the only blot on the copybook for the Candy Stripes prior to kick-off having won the other four matches in Dublin.

There were doubts about whether or not the City boss would risk starting both Patrick McEleney and Mark Connolly who made either first starts after lengthy injury layoffs against Shels last Friday night.

However, both were given the nod for a tough test against the in-form team in the division who were seeking a fourth straight victory.

Higgins made four changes, however, to the team held to a stalemate against Shels with Cian Kavanagh, who scored the winner against the Saints in a 1-0 win at Richmond Park last September, preferred to Jamie McGonigle who dropped to the bench.

Ciaran Coll and Cameron McJannet made way for Shane McEleney and Ryan Graydon respectively while Sadou Diallo returned from suspension and replaced Adam O'Reilly in the middle of the park.

The home side registered the first effort on target when it sat up nicely for Ben McCormack to strike on the volley on the edge of the box but Maher gathered comfortably at his near post with five minutes on the clock.

Three minutes later Boyce did brilliantly to take it through the legs of McCormack on the right flank and found the feet of McEleney in space on the edge of the 18 yard box. The skipper's strike bounced the wrong side of the post with Dean Lyness rooted to the spot.

The Saints almost capitalised on a long punt upfield as Eoin Doyle got in behind the Derry defence but his attempted lob over the head of the advancing Maher went harmlessly over as the game approached the half hour mark.

It was a real let-off for Derry but they were undone on 36 minutes after a sustained spell of pressure from the home side. McGrath latched onto the ball in the middle of the park and he ghosted past Diallo and into space before unleashing a powerful strike goalwards.

Maher managed to get a hand on the ball low to his left but it wasn't enough to divert it off target as he deflected it into the top corner to give the Saints a deserved lead.It really should've been 2-0 when McEleney was caught in possession deep inside his own half three minutes later. He blocked the run of Conor Carty but the Saints man had already sent Doyle clean through on goal and the striker's tame effort when one-on-one with Maher was saved by the feet of the City keeper.

Doyle arrowed a shot from 20 yards narrowly over the crossbar on 43 minutes and the half-time whistle couldn't come quick enough for the Candy Stripes as the Dubliners could've been out of sight.

Higgins was forced into a change at the interval as Ollie O'Neill replaced Duffy who looked to be carrying a knock.St Pat's started the second half as they finished the first and Chris Forrester forced a good save from Maher with a strike from inside the penalty area.

The evening was going from bad to worse for Derry as Patrick McEleney pulled up injured and looked devastated as he made his way off the pitch alongside physio Michael Hegarty.

That sparked a triple substitution from Higgins on 52 minutes as McJannet came on for his 100th appearance to replace Shane McEleney. Jordan McEneff came on for Patrick McEleney and Adam O'Reilly made a return to his former stomping ground to take the place of Diallo.

St Pat's doubled their lead on 62 minutes when a long ball over the top found the run of Doyle who beat Connolly for pace and the striker fired into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.

Derry hit back three minutes later as Cian Kavanagh volleyed past Lyness at the near post following a scramble in the Pat's penalty area.There was another injury blow for Derry when Dummigan, who missed the opening 15 games of the season, came off clutching his hamstring. And on 67 minutes the Saints turned the screw as Forrester met a corner kick with a glancing header which found the far corner of the net.

Derry claimed for a penalty three minutes later when Boyce appeared to be pulled down inside the area by Anto Breslin as he tried to get onto the end of McEneff's cross but referee Neil Doyle wasn't interested.

McJannet came so close with a header when he got onto the end of Brandon Kavanagh's clipped free-kick at the back post but it shaved the crossbar.Derry were falling apart and when O'Reilly was overturned in the middle of the pitch, Pat's were three on two but sub Mark Doyle didn't need any assistance as he raced through and found the back of the net.Derry never looked like getting back in the game and with Bohemians to visit Brandywell on Friday night and Rovers taking on UCD, they will need to arrest the slide in form quickly.

St Pat's: Lyness; Curtis, Lewis, Breslin, McGrath, McCormack (M. Doyle 64), Lennon, Murphy (McClelland 75), Forrester (Brockbank 82), Carty (Lonergan 81); Doyle (Timmermans 64); Subs Not Used - Odumosu, Atakayi, Lipsiuc, Melia.Derry City: Maher: Boyce, Connolly, S. McEleney (McJannet 52), Doherty; Graydon, Dummiga n, Diallo (O'Reilly 53), Duffy (O'Neill h-t); P. McEleney (McEneff 52); C. Kavanagh; Subs Not Used - Ryan, Coll, McGonigle, B. Kavanagh, Patton.

Referee - Neil Doyle (Dublin).-