League of Ireland: Derry City 2-1 Galway United

Ronan Curtis scored his third goal of the season for Derry City in Friday's league win over Galway United

Two first-half goals earned Derry City a win over Galway United and moved them up to third in the Premier Division.

A Ronan Curtis free kick put Derry ahead after five minutes at Maginn Park with Nathan Boyle's header three minutes later doubling their lead.

Galway were dominant in the second quarter and deservedly pulled one back through Gary Shanahan after 25 minutes.

The same player hit the crossbar in the second half but Derry hung on to make it 10 games unbeaten in a row.

Both sides had a number of chances with Galway pressing hard for an equaliser either side of the break.

Derry City's Nathan Boyle scored with a downward header early on and had another header cleared off the line late on in the win over Galway United

Gerard Doherty tipped Ronan Murray's free-kick over the bar before half time and the visitors had a strong penalty claim turned down when Shanahan appeared to be brought down in the box.

Curtis shot over the bar against the run of play for Derry before the woodwork denied Shanahan.

In an eventful game, Boyle's 78th minute header was cleared off the line and he hit the post two minutes later.

Galway kept pressing and Aaron Barry's well-timed intervention denied Shanahan in injury time.

A third home victory in a row moved the Candystripes above Bray Wanderers into third place heading into the Premier Division's two-week break as the season reaches the half-way point.