Dergview....... 4
Armagh City.. 0
A TOP-six finish is back in the first team's hands following a comfortable victory over Armagh City at Darragh Park on Saturday.
A splendid brace by Garth Falconer and goals apiece from Duwayne McManus and Philip Wallace has lifted Richard Clarke's men up to fifth position and just four points off third place Institute.
But while the Derg men had plenty to spare at the final whistle on Saturday, the visitors gave as good as they got for nearly an hour before the hosts purred through the gears in that final flourish.
Dergview handed a first start to new signing Aaron Walsh and the former Darragh Park favourite oozed quality throughout by slotting in at right back in place of the injured Gareth Porter.
The first 45 minutes proved something of a cagey affair as both sides toiled in search of that all-important opening goal. Early doors Falconer, playing on the left of midfield, fired a warning shot inches over, before he combined with Walsh for Wallace to whip in a dangerous cross which his team-mates failed to get on the end of.
Top goalscorer Ryan Campbell then fired down the throat of Armagh net-minder John Connelly from an Aaron Arkinson cross and, moments later, steered another effort the wrong side of a post in the wake of good play by Wallace.
At the other end Matty Hynds was off target for the visitors when well placed but that part it was the home side who continued to call the shots. Walsh tested Connelly from distance, Falconer headed wide from yet another Wallace delivery before Campbell again rifled straight at Connelly. By now the natives were getting a little restless that their team had failed to translate copious amounts of possession into goals but four minutes shy of the hour McManus duly broke the deadlock.
Following a good break by Falconer, the ball was laid back to the midfield play-maker who curled it expertly into the goalkeeper's top left hand corner. That stunning goal eased the nerves and 12 minutes later things got even better for the home side when Wallace galloped away on the right to cross for Falconer to power a header into the roof of the net. And two soon became three. Tommy Wray's searching pass sent Wallace scampering clear of the City defense to lob the ball over Connelly and into a gaping net.
Armagh offered some resistance at this juncture with home custodian Stefan McCusker saving a Shea Campbell header from a Paul Carville cross. The hosts, too, survived a goalmouth scramble following a corner kick before eventually killing off the visiting challenge.
A quick free kick on the edge of the box was laid off to Falconer, who struck a blistering shot high inside Connelly's right post.
