Goals in either half from Dylan Grimes and Joe Gorman got Longford off to a winning start on their SSE Airtricity League premier division return.
Daire Doyle’s side always had the edge in Bishopsgate as they scored a two-nil victory over Derry City on the leagues opening weekend.
Longford Town created the opening opportunity in the second minute, when Rob Manley set-up Dylan Grimes on the edge of the Derry box, but his shot went narrowly wide.
The Town took the lead on eight minutes when Grimes latched onto Manley’s ball, weaving his way past Derry players Danny Lafferty and Ciaron Harkin before firing a superb low diagonal shot to the left of the Derry net.
Derry had a lot of possession in the last 15 minutes of the first-half winning several corners, the best of which resulted in striker David Parkhouse heading over a Patching corner on 38 minutes.
The Candystripes nearly equalised in the a minute before the break, Will Fitzgerald’s right-wing cross picked out striker Parkhouse 12-yards from goal, his shot produced a stunning reflex save from Longford keeper Lee Stacey.
The home side almost doubled their advantage just two minutes after the resumption. A Grimes throw found Karl Chambers who found Dean Byrne inside the Derry box, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Derry keeper Nathan Gartside.
Byrnes’ rebound shot then deflected into the path of Dean Zambra, but the Town captain ballooned his effort over the Derry bar.
A Derry corner from Patching saw a towering Eoin Toal header just wide on 58 minutes.
A minute later, Longford carved open a chance when an exchange of passes between Byrne and kirk resulted in Kirk’s shot flashing across the face of the Derry City goal.
Town deservedly went two-nil up on 72 minutes when Aodh Dervin’s long-range free-kick was only parried by Derry keeper Gartside into the path of Joe Gorman who tapped-in the rebound from close range.
A rampant Longford were a whisker away from making it three-nil when Dervin’s 45-yard free-kick crashed back off the Derry bar with keeper Gartside beaten all ends-up.
Chances were at a premium after that and Longford Town deservedly earned all three points with a superb two goal victory to lead the Premier Division.
Longford Town (4-3-2-1): Stacey, Chambers, O’Driscoll, Gorman, Kirk, Zambra, Dervin, Bolger, Grimes, Byrne, Rob Manley.
Substitutes: Thompson for Byrne (62 minutes), Joe Manley for Chambers (73 minutes), Robinson for Rob Manley (84 minutes), Dobbs for Bolger (84 minutes).
Derry City (4-3-3): Gartside, Cole, Toal, Coll, Lafferty, McJannet, Patching, Harkin, Akintunde, Parkhouse, Fitzgerald.
Substitutes: Malone for Akintunde and Lupano for Cole (both half-time), Carolaan McLaughlin for Fitzgerald (79 minutes), Thomson for McJannet (81 minutes).
Referee: Adriano Reale
