Shamrock Rovers 1 Derry City 3
Shamrock Rovers may have attracted a number of German visitors to the game, but it will be performance of the away side that may travel back to Germany, as a ruthless City made it back to back League wins and two victories in four days
Tommy Stewart’s injury time goal for the home side may have brought some respectability to the score sheet for the home side, but City were utterly dominant for long periods of the game and were more than good value for their victory.
Rory Patterson returned to lead the line for City, whilst Higgins slotted back into the midfield to replace Kevin Deery as Devine tinkered with his options. However these were to bear immediate fruit as after six minutes when Patterson crossed into the box after good work down the left by the striker. Stephen McLaughlin jumped highest and his header left Jansson with little or no chance.
Rovers seemed to struggle to settle and were hit with a blow when Ronan Finn was forced off through inury. It was a wonder strike by the player that separated the teams in the Brandywell earlier in the season and the home side missed his drive and energy for the remainder of the game.
Patterson was centrally involved in the second as he went to ground after a clash with Jansson. The assistant signalled for the penalty but McLaughlin opted to only book the keeper, so there was to be no repeat of the Setanta game which saw Rovers with their keeper dismissed. Patterson stepped up to take the penalty and although he guessed right, Jansson couldn’t stop it.
The home crowd were far from happy at half time and their mood worsen when City made it three just a minute into the second half. McLaughlin played a telling through ball and McNamee latched onto it and rolled it past Jansson to make it three nil. A bit like the international last night, the game was no over as a contest and City took the foot off the gas, whilst still looking like the more likely to score.
McLaughlin and Patterson went close for City, whilst Rovers had half chances from header in the form of Sullivan and Sives. However the visiting side once again looked totally at home in Tallahgt and seemed destined for a morale boosting clean sheet before Stewart popped up to fire home, deep into injury time.
