Europa Conference League first qualifying round, second leg: Derry City 2 FCB Magpies 1 (aet, Magpies win 3-2 on agg)
Derry City failed to progress in the Europa Conference League following an action-packed second leg at the Brandywell.
Goals from Mark Connelly and Pat Hoban on either side of half-time set Derry up for a sensational finish but they failed to net that vital third strike which would have seen them defeat part-time opposition Bruno’s Magpies from Gibraltar.
In the end a fantastic strike by Evan De Haro saw the visitors progress to meet FC Copenhagen in the next round during the second half of added time.
Derry huffed and puffed in the front line but failed to net that vital third striker and the much sought after European run has come to a hugely disappointing end.
Having fallen 2-0 in arrears in the first leg, the Candystripes failed to produce the goods in the end.
Derry offered no shortage of enthusiasm but they were regularly stopped in their tracks by a well organised Magpies side.
Constantly playing on the front foot, Derry forced the Magpies back but they struggled when attempting to breach the visiting defence.
Always keen to hit on the break, the Gibraltarians tested the Derry goalkeeper in the 35th minute, David Maher getting down low to spoon a shot from striker Jack Storer, a vital save.
In the 29th minute Ruaidhrí Higgins’s troops did manage to find the net when Hoban headed home but the referee ruled the ‘goal’ out insisting that the Derry striker had fouled a defender before forcing the ball home. Hoban was given a yellow card.
However, Derry did move into the driving seat in the 37th minute when centre back Connelly got his head to a cross from Paul McMullan and the Brandywell burst into life.
Having reduced the aggregate to a single goal Derry’s tails were now up but another action by the referee infuriated the capacity attendance when he flashed a second yellow card at Adam O’Reilly for a simulated dive inside the penalty area on the stroke of half-time.
Derry, despite their numerical inferiority, continued to dominate the ball following the change of ends.
Indeed, McMullan burst forward in Derry’s opening attack, his shot touched on to the woodwork by keeper Dayle Coleing and the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.
Michael Kelly burst down the right flank in the 52nd minute and his low centre was met by Hoban but the Magpies goalkeeper did well to get a hand to the ball, diverting wide at the expense of a corner.
Kelly threatened again within minutes, another cross reaching the head of Hoban but the Galway native failed to get his head to the ball and a good chance was lost.
McMullan was denied by the goalkeeper and following the corner the home side moved into a 2-0 lead when Hoban hammered the ball home inside a crowded penalty area.
The sides were now all square on aggregate but with 12 minutes remaining the Magpies broke forward and when Edu Salles was played into a one on one situation with Maher, the Magpies substitute smashed the ball over the crossbar.
At the other end McMullan should have netted a third Derry goal but he failed to hit the target when well placed.
Having struck the post and failed to net against an overworked Magpies goalkeeper during the latter stages, Derry much now prepare for a high profile cup tie with St Patrick’s Athletic on Sunday.
DERRY CITY: Maher; Dummigan (Diallo, 78), Connelly (McEleney), 95, Coll, Doherty (Whelan, 105); O’Reilly, Patching; Kelly (Todd, 95), McMullan, Duffy (Mullan 80); Hoban.
MAGPIES: Coleing, Ashton, Diaz, Zuniga (Coombes, 58), Carrascal, Arguez, Garcia, Storer (De Haro, h/t), Forjan (Salles, 60), Ronco, Bayode.
Referee: AP Chiaramonti (Andorra)
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