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Gazza's on the razza! -
Football
Sun, The (London, England)
July 16, 1997
Author: Robert Reid
Estimated printed pages: 2


Derry City 3 Celtic 2

Beckett's goal's Derr-ific for City

GARY BECKETT upstaged golden Bhoy Paolo Di Canio with a wonder strike as Derry shocked Scottish giants Celtic.
Beckett ignited the Irish International Soccer Tournament after just seven minutes with an exquisite right-foot finish.

And the National League's Young Player of the Year went on to supply the pass for sub Ryan Coyle to drill home Derry's winner 11 minutes from time amid delirious scenes at Lansdowne Road.

Celtic could have no complaints on a night when Felix Healy's part-timers reigned supreme.

Boss Healy was hoping for a confidence boost ahead of City's Champions' League showdown with Slovenian champs Maribor Branik later this month.

And even he could not have wished for a better start with James Keddy twice going close before Beckett's sensational opener.

Lifelong Celtic fan Tom Mohan pierced the defence with a super cross from the right and Liam Coyle gave Beckett sight of goal with the sweetest of touches.

Admire

And Celtic keeper Gordon Marshall could do little but admire the quality of the finish as young Beckett sent the ball whistling into the back of the net.

The Derry fans went wild, but Celtic star Di Canio was not in the shadows for long.

The 28-year-old Italian went into last night's game sticking by his decision to quit Parkhead in the aftermath of a bitter rift with Celtic supremo Fergus McCann.

He was met with chants of "Di Canio, Di Canio" every time he touched the ball in the strongest show of public support yet.

And he responded in typical fashion by scoring the equaliser.

Tightly policed by four Derry defenders in a packed penalty area, he still managed to squeeze a delightful cross shot past keeper Tony O'Dowd from the tightest of angles.

This pre-season friendly was anything but at times with Derry's Paul Curran lucky to escape a booking from Dublin referee Gerry Perry for a two-footed tackle on new signing Darren Jackson.

The duo clashed again just a minute later and this time Jackson felt the full force of Curran's elbow after a tangle.

Jackson did manage to get away from Curran in the 13th minute, but curled his shot wide of the target.

O'Dowd twice came to Derry's rescue either side of half-time.

Andy Thom looked a certain scorer in the 26th minute after Morten Weighorst speared a pass through the heart of the Derry defence.

But O'Dowd sensed the danger and forced the Celtic star away from the dangero zon.

O'Dowd was inspired.

When Celtic looked like scoring again, he produced a stunning double save to thwart Simon Donnelly. And the Celtic man led then led the applause!

Curran was also defiant with a well-timed tackle to stop David Hannah getting a shot on goal.

Derry regained the lead 16 minutes from time when Tommy Boyd turned Peter Hutton's harmless looking cross into his own net.

But the celebrations lasted a mere two minutes with the Derry defence caught napping as Weighorst headed home a teasing cross from Di Canio.

Drive

Derry were not to be denied, however, and with 11 minutes to go, substitute Ryan Coyle had the final say with a low left-foot drive as Derry completed a remarkable victory.

Derry City: O'Dowd, Doherty, Hargan, Hutton, Curran, Dykes, Mohan, Hegarty, L. Coyle, Beckett, Keddy. Subs: Boyle, R. Coyle, Semple, Kelly, Devine, Gallagher, McCabe, Brady.

Celtic: Marshall, Boyd, McKinlay, McNamara, Stubbs, Wieghorst, Di Canio, Hannah, Jackson, Thom, Donnelly. Subs: MacKay, Gray, McLaughlin, Hay, Johnson, McBride, McDonachie.