The past seven years have passed since a nine-day period that forever altered Derry City Football Club.
The sudden, shocking, and extremely terrible news that club captain Ryan McBride had passed away at home at the age of 27 devastated the club and the community just a month into the 2017 season, with Derry community leading the Premier Division with four victories from four games.
It was utterly strange as supporters attempted to process information that they simply could not and would not accept. As a young player, the vision of Ryan, only days before, celebrating a goal against Dundalk at Maginn Park with his arms out and a broad smile on his face was even More awful. In the days that followed, a stunned city struggled to process the news. Thousands of supporters and representatives from clubs all over Ireland attended his funeral at St. Columb’s Church, where the final goodbyes were said to a young man who was a legend, a leader, and an inspiration to his local football team. Ryan had led his team out in Dublin again as the Candystripes took on Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght. The game was tight and chances were few, but on the 67th minute, the game turned in Derry City’s favor.
Following a corner from Aaron McEneff, Harry Monaghan headed down into the penalty area. Nathan Boyle touched the ball to set it up for Ryan, who smashed it in for his first league goal since he scored at the Brandywell in September 2014, a 2-1 victory over Sligo Rovers.
The City captain clearly had excitement on his face as he bounded off with delight and performed a Klinsmann dive across the grass. The Candystripes held on, limiting Rovers to only one chance on goal in the ninety minutes, with Ryan’s goal turning out to be the game-winning goal, even though they had to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men after Lucas Schubert was sent off.
