Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Pat’s show mettle to topple City
ST PAT’S battled from behind to give themselves a massive lift thanks to a Graham Kelly cracker.
A first win in nine games moves Liam Buckley’s side out of the relegation zone, overnight at least.
Saints dominated early on with Kelly wasting a glorious chance to give them a 20th minute lead when heading straight at Ger Doherty.
The home side then had two penalty claims denied when first Fagan and then Killian Brennan appeared to be fouled in the area.
Conor O’malley rescued St Pat’s with a sublime save when somehow touching Harry Monaghan’s drive onto the bar before Derry snatched the lead on 42 minutes.
Left unmarked from Nicky Low’s corner, Ronan Curtis sent a looping header to the net for a fourth goal in five games.
Undeterred, St Pat’s chased the game hard with Derry having a right let off on 61 minutes.
Fagan’s shot was cleared off the line first by Darren Cole and then Doherty after a ricochet.
Another St Pat’s penalty shout for a handball wasn’t given before, from the resulting corner on 67 minutes, Cole impeded substitute Rory Feely with referee Rob Rogers pointing to the spot.
Kurtis Byrne drove the penalty to the top corner to deservedly equalise.
Their tails up, St Pat’s then went on to win it with a cracking goal on 77 minutes.
Feely sent Conan Byrne away on the right to get by a defender to pull the ball back for Kelly who drove his shot home.