DEFENDERS Sam Todd and Ronan Boyce struck a goal apiece as Derry City swatted Drogheda United aside to move into second place.
Todd and Boyce — who both hail from Donegal — netted within three minutes of each other to kill off the game in the first half.
Carndonagh man Todd headed home the opener on 33 minutes from Michael Duffy’s clipped cross.
Ramelton lad Boyce then pounced to fire home a rebound after Andrew Quinn cleared Duffy’s strike off the line.
Substitute Danny Mullen added a third five minutes into stoppage time.
Duffy was again involved as his strike at the near post was turned into the path of the Scotsman by Drogheda keeper Luke Dennison.
It was a third win and clean sheet on the bounce for the Foylesiders who remain 11 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers with two games in hand.
They are now above Bohemians on goal difference.
And Derry were lively in the early stages with Gavin Whyte testing Drogs keeper Dennison from 25 yards.
Kevin Holt also came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the opening period when he met Duffy’s inswinging free-kick.
But his glancing header bounced just wide.
Sadou Diallo then tried his luck from distance on the half hour but his effort sailed harmlessly off target.
Derry eventually broke Drogheda’s resolve from a short corner.
Duffy received the ball back from Whyte and clipped it into a crowded penalty area where Todd headed into the corner of the net.
The hosts doubled their lead three minutes later when Duffy raced on to Liam Boyce’s through ball and rounded the keeper but his strike was cleared off the line by Quinn.
The clearance fell to Ronan Boyce who steered the ball into the net.
Derry were well in control but Drogheda found a way in behind the City defence moments later.
Thomas Oluwa got away from Mark Connolly and sent a strike towards goal but Brian Maher stood tall and saved at the front post.
Carl Winchester had the ball in the net when he received the ball from a sublime defence-splitting pass from Whyte.
But the Belfast man strayed offside and the goal was ruled out.
Diallo then picked out the run of Duffy with a pass over the top.
But the winger’s effort on the volley dipped over the crossbar as Derry threatened to put the match to bed before the break.
SECOND GEAR
Derry continued to dominate at the start of the second half.
And livewire Duffy was the next to threaten as his effort from the edge of the penalty area was just deflected behind by Conor Keeley’s block.
Keeley — scorer of a brace on Drogheda’s last visit to the Brandywell — was then in the thick of the action at the other end.
The former St Pat’s defender chested down a cross inside the Derry box before volleying narrowly wide of the target on 63 minutes.
Substitute Mullen put the icing on the cake in the fifth minute of stoppage time for the hosts.
Duffy’s strike was saved by the foot of Dennison — but it fell straight to the feet of the ex-Livingston ace who tapped in from four yards.
SUN STAR MAN
Michael Duffy (Derry)
DERRY CITY: Maher 7; Cann 7, Connolly 7, Holt 7; R Boyce 8, Winchester 8 (McMullan 76, 6), Diallo 8 (O’Reilly 63, 6), Whyte 7 (Mullen 75, 7), Duffy 9, S Todd 8; L Boyce 7 (Benson 75, 6).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison 5, Kane 6 (Cruise 55, 5), Quinn 7, Harper-Bailey 6, James-Taylor 6 (Bosakani 87, 6), Farrell 5, Brennan 5 (Markey 55, 6), Heeney 6, Keeley 6, Lambe 6, Oluwa 5 (Kareem 60, 6).
REFEREE: R Harvey (Dublin) 6.
