Derry City manager, Felix Healy, bitterly lambasted members of his playing staff following this surprise result at the Brandywell on Saturday night, and he suggested that "a number of individuals" didn't show Kilkenny enough respect and paid the penalty in the end.

"Too many of our players did what they wanted to do," he blasted afterwards. "Our crossing was diabolical and, in the last third of the field, we were shocking to say the least," he added.

"The longer the game went on, the worse we became. We had enough possession to win six matches, yet too many of our players took too much for granted and played the way they wanted to play," said Healy.

Derry had hammered five goals past Saturday night's opponents without reply when the sides met at Buckley Park back in October and last weekend Healy could not have hoped for a better start when James Keddy broke the deadlock after only seven minutes.

The Dubliner's 25-yard freekick deflected off the Kilkenny defensive wall, giving keeper John Connolly no chance.

But the home side failed dismally to build on that lead with Alfie Hale's men content to defend in numbers and seek scoring opportunities on the break.

And their determination was rewarded in the 36th minute when Derry defender, Shaun Gallagher, gave the ball away in a dangerous position. Kevin Kelly floated over a dangerous cross and as Paul Curran attempted to clear, the ball cannoned off the body of Aidan Cooney before finding its way to the net.

Derry City: O'Dowd; Doherty, Kelly, Curran, Gallagher; Semple, Hegarty, Taggart, Keddy; L Coyle, Beckett. Subs: R Coyle and Brunton for Semple and Gallagher (59 mins).

Kilkenny City: Connolly; G Kelly, Rea, Reid, Smith, Carolan; K Kelly, P Walsh, Cashin, Cooney; Vaughan. Subs: D Walsh for Cashin (38 mins).