Derry City’s title hopes came to an end with defeat at St. Patrick’s Athletic.
Former Candystripe Brandon Kavanagh delivered the killer blow to Ruaidhri Higgins’ team in the first-half of an absorbing game to make it eight League wins in succession for the home side.
This was a game which both teams needed to win and while Derry dominated the second-half, they could not get the goals they needed to take it to the final day of the season against Shelbourne, who can now win the League at the Brandywell.
After a cagey first half-hour, City came within inches of taking the lead just ten minutes before the break with two of the most unlikely goal scorers on the pitch combining.
A corner was cleared but only to Paul McMullan, who recycled it to Michael Duffy on the right. The winger delivered a cross to the back post where Duncan Idehen rose highest to head the ball towards the back post where Andre Wisdom threw himself forward, just missing it by the narrowest of margins.
The visitors came even closer just minutes later thanks to quick thinking from Danny Mullan, who took a free kick to send Adam O’Reilly through on goal.
The midfielder beat Joseph Anang to the ball and took it past the goalkeeper but, with the angle against him, he couldn’t get a good connection on the ball and Joseph Redmond was able to intercept and send it behind for a corner.
But it was Pat’s who took the lead just two minutes before the break.
It looked as if Derry had survived when the ball fell favourably to Aidan Keena in the area and his effort was brilliantly saved by Brian Maher.
But Derry couldn’t clear the ball in the aftermath and Shane McEleney only sent it right into the path of former City player Kavanagh, who took a touch before drilling it back into the corner of the net to make it 1-0.
Ruaidhri Higgins had no choice to make an attacking change at the break and he sent on Colm Whelan in place of Ronan Boyce.
The striker made an immediate impact, beating two men before shooting into Anang’s hands, before he beat the goalkeeper with an unbelievable strike from 20 yards, only for the ball to crash back off the crossbar.
A huge chance came and went for Derry on 65 minutes when Patrick McEleney sent Mullen racing down the left and his low cross towards the back post was almost put into his own net by Redmond.
The defender’s interception caused a few seconds of chaos, with the ball bouncing loose with the goalkeeper grounded, but Anang recovered amazingly well to deny Duffy from point blank range.
Time was running out for a desperate Derry but it almost ended when Forrester set up Keena, who turned brilliantly inside the area but sent a rising shot just wide of goal.
The final whistle brought a painful end to City’s title hopes, which have been in jeopardy ever since successive draws at the Brandywell against Bohemians and Sligo Rovers.
St. Patrick’s Athletic: J Anang, A Breslin, J Redmond, T Grivosti (L Turner 86), J Lennon, C Forrester, K Leavy, B Kavanagh (A Kazeem 72), A Keena, R McLaughlin, Z Elbouzedi (R Palmer 61).
Derry City: B Maher, R Boyce (C Whelan HT), S McEleney, A Wisdom (J Davenport 84), D Idehen, A O’Reilly, W Patching (S Robertson 71), S Diallo (P McEleney 60), P McMullan, M Duffy, D Mullen.
Referee: Rob Hennessey.
Man of the Match: Kian Leavy (St. Patrick’s Athletic)
Match Rating: 8/10