FOOTBALL: DERRY SHOCKER

Derry City 0

Sligo Rovers 2

Derry's League of Ireland Premier Division championship hopes were knocked at the Brandywell last night as they crashed to Sligo.

The shock beating which dented City's bid to open up an 11-point gap with just six games left, was the league leader's first defeat in 22 games.

Errors in the normally well-marshalled home defence ended Derry's five- month long unbeaten run.

The first mistake was made by central defender Gavin Dykes, ironically signed from Sligo.

A Clint Brown throw-in on the half-hour was headed on by Marcus Hallows.

Dykes failed to cut out Hallows' backheader and the ball fell to the unmarked Lee Thew, who drilled it low past keeper Tony O'Dowd from six yards. Five minutes earlier, Gary Beckett had come within inches of giving City the lead when his 12-yard shot came off keeper Alan O'Neill's right hand post.

Beckett had earlier missed a fifth minute open goal when, following a mix up between O'Neill and defender Ian Lynch, his 16- yard shot towards an empty net failed to find the target.

Ironically, another ex-Sligo player paved the way for Rovers' second goal. Defender Declan Boyle cut out John Kelly's cross from the right.

But he was robbed by Pauric Moran whose inch perfect shot from 16 yards flew past keeper O'Down into the net in the 58th minute.

Beckett screwed a close range header from a Sean Hargan cross wide in the 66th minute. 11 minutes later O'Neill pulled off a brilliant full stretch save to block Keddy's drive.

Copyright 1997 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.