Derry City 3

St Patrick’s Athletic 0

DANNY MULLEN NETTED a second-half brace as Derry City bounced back from their midweek European heartbreak with a resounding victory over FAI Cup holders St Patrick’s Athletic at the Brandywell to progress to the third round.

Ruaidhri Higgins’ side exacted revenge on the team who knocked them out of the cup at the same stage last season on penalties with three second-half goals in the space of 15 minutes doing the damage.

Will Patching missed a 51st-minute penalty but Mullen – handed his first start in nine games – broke the deadlock three minutes later with a lovely flick to turn in Michael Duffy’s cross.

The Scotsman doubled Derry’s advantage five minutes later when he powered a header past Joseph Anang from Ben Doherty’s corner kick – his eighth of the season.

The Dubliners capitulated after that and Duffy added a third from close range to book Derry’s place in the draw for the third round.

It was Derry’s fifth successive win over the Saints in all competitions since exiting the cup at the hands of the eventual winners last summer and an 11th home win from their last 14 games at the Brandywell.

It was a return to the Brandywell for former boss Stephen Kenny – who led Derry to an FAI Cup triumph in 2006 – for the first time as manager of the Saints.

He was locking horns with his former understudy Higgins, who worked under him as first team coach at Dundalk and as opposition analyst in the Ireland set-up. The only previous head-to-head between the pair ended in a 1-0 win for Higgins in Inchicore when Paul McMullan scored a late winner.

The Saints’ recent record against Derry at the Brandywell didn’t bode well for the Dubliners who won just once in their previous five visits to Foyleside – that dramatic penalty shootout victory in the same round of the FAI Cup last year.

That result came four days after the 2012 FAI Cup winners’ exit from Europe at the hands of Tobol to cap a miserable week for Higgins’ troops.

They were desperate to avoid a repeat following last Thursday’s heartbreak at the hands of Gibraltar’s Bruno’s Magpies which deprived the club of a financial windfall and a money-spinning second round clash against Danish giants Copenhagen.

Scotsman Mullen was handed his first start in nine games at the expense of top scorer Pat Hoban who dropped to the bench. Defender Sam Todd was the only other change from the European match as he replaced Daniel Kelly.

St Pat’s, who start their own European adventure on Thursday in the second round of the Uefa Conference League qualifiers, were well rested coming into this cup tie having last played in a 1-0 league loss to Waterford back on 4 July.

Kenny made just one change from that encounter with Kian Leavy coming in for Ruairi Keating who was unavailable for family reasons.

New signing Zach Elbouzedi, signed from Swedish outfit AIK this week, started on the bench.

Derry were let off the hook on seven minutes when Pat’s engineered a chance from a clever free-kick taken short by Anto Breslin into the feet of Brandon Kavanagh who came deep to collect.

The ex-Candystripe clipped it into the penalty area where it was flicked on by Michael Duffy towards Mulreany in acres of space but the winger’s first time effort was wayward and the chance was lost.

The visitors forced Brian Maher into a decent save on 21 minutes after a quick break when the dangerous Mulreany crossed towards the far post towards Forrester in space but the midfielder’s effort on the volley was parried clear by the City keeper.

Paul McMullan did well to skip past Breslin on the right flank before delivering high into the back post and Duffy appealed robustly for a penalty when he went down after a tussle for position with Jamie Lennon. Referee Rob Harvey was unmoved by the protests from the home side and signalled for a goal kick.

From a corner kick on 37 minutes, Mark Connolly’s downward header at the back post was cleared off the line by Anto Breslin. It was a promising spell of pressure for the home team and moments later Doherty crossed into the six-yard box but Mullen’s header under pressure went over the bar.

Derry were awarded a penalty kick two minutes into the second half when Sjoberg was adjudged to have clipped the heels of McMullan just inside the 18 yard box. Patching, who scored three from three from the penalty spot this season, stalled his run-up and Anang guessed correctly, saving superbly with his outstretched hand low to his left hand post.

It was Derry’s first miss from the spot in six attempts this season.

Patching almost made amends on 51 minutes when he turned back onto his right foot 20 yards from goal before curling a well-struck effort narrowly over the bar.

The Brandywell men hit the front two minutes later when Duffy raced down the left wing and fizzed a low ball into the six-yard box where it was turned into the net by a Saints defender at the near post with Mullen applying the pressure.

Derry had the Saints on the ropes and Mullen did brilliantly to cut the ball back to O’Reilly 12 yards from goal but his strike was blocked by Tom Grivosti.

From the resultant corner from Doherty. Mullen rose highest to power his header beyond Anang.

McMullan slotted a lovely throughball into the feet of Duffy who got beyond the last man but Anang turned his right-footed shot behind.

The tie was put to bed on 67 minutes when McMullan won possession inside the Pats’ final third and released O’Reilly. The Cork man slotted into the path of Duffy who rolled the ball into the far corner past Anang for his sixth goal of the season.

Anang did brilliantly to block substitute Hoban from close range on 83 minutes but it mattered little as Derry progressed to the next round – the perfect tonic for that midweek European exit.

FAI Cup – Sunday’s results

• Bray Wanderers 0-1 Shelbourne
• Sligo Rovers 3-0 Cobh Wanderers
• Wayside Celtic 1-3 Wexford FC
• Gorey Rangers 0-4 UCD
• Ballyfermot United 3-1 Leeds

Derry City: Maher, Coll (Whelan 85), Connolly, Todd, Doherty; Dummigan, Reilly, Patching (Diallo 85); McMullan (Kelly 84), Mullen (Hoban 73), Duffy.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang, Sojiberg, Redmond, Grivosti (Turner 84), Breslin; Lennon (Palmer 63), Forrester, Leavy (Elbouzedi 63); Kavanagh (Kavanagh 71), Melia (McClelland 84). Mulraney.

Referee: Mr Robert Harvey (Dublin).