CAOLAN McLaughlin grabbed a hat-trick as Derry City Reserves overcame Letterkenny Rovers at The Brandywell.
Derry City Reserves 6 Letterkenny Rovers 3
McLaughlin’s treble has helped to puncture Letterkenny’s title tilt in the bmcsports.ie Ulster Senior League, where it is now advantage Cockhill who, with three games in hand, moved joint top of the pile today.
Letterkenny had led, too, as Emmet Friars connected with a free kick for a stylish finish against his hometown club on 19 minutes.
However, Derry equalised when Gweedore man Patrick Ferry netted on 33 minutes.
Derry led as another Donegal resident, Brendan Barr, beat Rory Kelly in the 40th minute.
Early in the second half, McLaughlin cracked a superb free kick to the net to make it 3-1.
Friars headed home his second, powering to the net to keep his men in it.
However, Ferry quickly restored the two-goal cushion with a tidy finish and McLaughlin netted his second on 73 minutes for 5-2.
Three minutes later, McLaughlin completed his hat-trick as he kept his composure.
Rovers grabbed a late goal through substitute Davitt Walsh, but it was a disappointing visit to the Maiden City for the Cathedral Town men.
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