DERRY HALE NEW HERO ON BRANDYWELL RETURN

A MAGNIFICENT hat-trick by Ronan Hale emerged as the highlight during Derry’s return to action at the new-look Brandywell Stadium. Hale’s opening goal eight minutes in set the tone, his curling shot from the right flank crashing high into the corner. Ronan Curtis doubled Derry’s lead and the game was ended as a contest in the in the 64th minute when Aaron McEneff clipped the ball home to make it 3-0. Hale netted his club’s fourth goal in the 69th minute before he was brought crashing down in the 72nd minute when inside the danger area. He stepped up to drive the penalty home. DERRY CITY: Doherty; McDermott, Cole, Toal, Doyle (Delap, 87); Ronan Hale (Ben Doherty), Low, Rory Hale, Curtis; McEneff (Delap, 82); Patterson. LIMERICK: Clarke; Kelly, Whitehead, D. Dennehy, Tracy; B. Dennehy, Duggan (Cantwell, 75), Wearen (Fitzgerald, 15), Kearns; Coleman; Morrissey (Ellis, 59). Referee: B. Connollly (Dublin). CAOLAN McALEER hit a quick-fire, first-half brace as Sligo Rovers inflicted further misery on Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds. Sligo’s second win of the campaign leaves Bray rooted to the foot of the table after a fourth defeat. Winger McAleer caught Aaron Dillon off his line with a speculative shot that dipped in under the bar past the back-tracking keeper to give Sligo a deserved 21st-minute lead. Rovers then punished a mistake seven minutes later when McAleer was awake to a loose pass to race clear and calmly round Dillon before sliding WATERFORD owner Lee Power was present at the RSC as Sander Puri’s second-half winner kept Waterford level on points with champions Cork City. Just six minutes after being introduced at the break, the Estonian international pounced at the back post to finish when Bohemians goalkeeper Shane Supple failed to cut out a rightwing cross by Courtney Duffus. Further chances fell the way of the home side, particularly when Gavan Holohan rolled the ball