Tuesday 20th March 2007, 10:30 pm
20th March 2007
Linfield 2
Mark Dickson 20
Oran Kearney 45 pen
Derry City 1
Mark Farren 15
Windsor Park
Live on Setanta Ireland
Linfield came from behind to secure all three points from their Setanta Sports Cup meeting with Derry City at Windsor Park tonight, moving the Belfast club into the group lead with seven points from three games.
Derry boss Pat Fenlon again watched from the stand and perhaps it was better that way as his Candstriped side failed to ignite, lacking creativity for much of the game and rarely looking like they would peg Linfield back once the home side went in front.
It had started differently though when Mark Farren poked Derry in front on 15 minutes. A surging Kevin McHugh run broke through the Linfield rearguard and McHugh himself could have converted Pat McCourt's low cross although Farren was on hand at the back post to turn home.
Derry's lead lasted just five minutes and with McCourt off the field receiving treatment, Mark Dickson rose unchallenged to glance home a header from Paul McAreavey's corner kick.
Overall the game was short of decent goal-mouth action. Kevin Deery fired a long range effort wide but just as the game seemed set to remain level at the break, Linfield gained a slightly fortunate penalty.
Dickson flicked the ball up on the edge of the box and as Darren Kelly went to challenge, the ball struck the back of his arm. Referee Anthony Buttimer had no hesitation - awarding the spot kick - and Oran Kearney stepped up to coolly slot home past Pat Jennings.
The first half also saw a couple of bookings with Linfield's Peter Thompson and William Murphy seeing yellow. Kris Lindsay joined them in Buttimer's notebook just after the break following a foul on Farren.
The same Derry player looked to have decent shouts for a penalty when Aidan O'Kane looked to have taken his legs out from under him in the area just before the hour. At the other end Thompson almost wrapped up the win but saw Jennings make an excellent reaction save at his near post.
Ken Oman, McHugh and McCourt all added to the caution count as Derry's frustrations grew before Linfield were reduced to ten on 79 minutes. Linsday was sent off after a poorly timed and poorly judged challenge on Farren on the halfway line.
Meantime, Derry made three changes at once with Gary Beckett, Gareth McGlynn and Ruaidhri all coming in. Farren nodded wide at the near post from a corner as Derry made some forward progress with Higgins drilling a dangerous low shot across the face of goal.
Still Linfield could have wrapped it up before the end but Thompson headed tamely straight at Jennings.
The loss leaves Derry now level with Drogheda leaving qualification for the semi-finals far from certain.
Linfield : Mannus, Ervin, Lindsay, Murphy, O'Kane, Dickson, Kearney (McShane 69), McAreavey, Mulgrew, Thompson, Stewart (Bailie 81).
Derry City : Jennings, McCallion (Beckett 81), Oman, Kelly, Rogers, Deery, Molloy, Martyn (Higgins 81), McCourt (McGlynn 81), Farren, McHugh.