St Patrick's Athletic (5) - Derry City (0)

St Patrick's Athletic 5 - Derry City 0

Conan Byrne captained St Patrick's Athletic in his last match for the club after six years at Richmond Park as they ended the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season in style with this facile win over Derry City.

Watching from the stand, new manager Harry Kenny will have been pleased with what he saw as St Pat's had the game won by half-time.

An eighth defeat in nine games sees Derry slump to finish third bottom of the table with speculation mounting over manager Kenny Shiels' future.

There was almost a dream start to his final appearance for Byrne as he met a deep cross from Ian Bermingham only to head over the crossbar 90 seconds in.

But it was Derry, beaten by a last-minute goal at Bray Wanderers on Monday, who should have hit the front on four minutes.

Jamie McDonagh picked out Eoin Toal with a precise cross only to see his skipper power the header over the top.

Saints then wasted an even better chance at the other end three minutes later when Jake Keegan headed feebly off target from another Bermingham delivery.

Toal, getting on the end of a McDonagh corner, had an effort deflected for a second corner on 24 minutes, in what was up until that point an open game.

A goal was coming and the lead duly arrived for St Pat's in spectacular fashion on 29 minutes.

Killian Brennan and Bermingham worked the ball to Conor Clifford some 30 yards out.

And the former Chelsea youth struck a right-foot drive that arrowed to the top corner for a stunning first goal for the club.

Saints had some defending to do seven minutes later, Simon Madden clearing a Danny Seaborne header off the line.

But the defending was absent at the other end on 38 minutes as the home side doubled their lead.

Byrne's sublime through ball found the run of James Doona who kept his head to take it around goalkeeper Eric Grimes and slide it to the net.

Two minutes after that the game was all but over as St Pat's added a third goal.

Clifford clipped a diagonal ball to the far post for central defender Kevin Toner whose looping header back across goal went in off the far upright.

Derry's defence was all at sea as St Pat's scored twice more early in the second half with Byrne providing both assists.

The 33-year-old winger's ball found Keegan at the back stick to nod in unchallenged on 54 minutes.

Three minutes later, Byrne again put over the cross for Doona to chest the ball down and volley to the net.

© ;rte.ie

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St Patrick's Athletic 5 - Derry City 0

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