Rory Patterson strike the difference as Derry see off Rovers

Shamrock Rovers 0 Derry City 1

Rory Patterson kept Derry City’s quest for Europe on course with a first half winner at Tallaght Stadium.

The impressive victory moves Derry five points clear of fourth-placed Rovers, who do have two games in hand.

Rovers’ promising start came to nothing as Derry, once Aaron McEneff brought a sublime one-handed save from Craig Hyland from a free kick on 13 minutes, dominated the first half, deservedly going in their match-winning goal up at the interval.

Hyland had to produce further heroics to keep out another free-kick from McEneff and then react well to deflect Ronan Curtis’s follow up out for a corner.

That wasn’t fully cleared with Hyland again getting down well to push McEneff’s low drive round a post.

Derry’s pressure then told on 36 minutes. Right-back Conor McDermott whipped over a terrific cross to the near post for Patterson to power home a header for his 12th goal of the season.

Rovers regained the initiative into the second half. Madden had a penalty claim for handball waved away before Brandaon Miele passed when well placed to shoot after a surging run from Gary Shaw.

Visiting keeper Ger Doherty then made his only real stop of the game on the hour, deflecting Shaw’s shot out for a corner after Miele had played the striker in on goal.

Derry remained dangerous on the counter and really should have extended their lead on 67 minutes. Patterson dummied a cross from Schubert to set up Barry McNamee who ballooned his shot over the top.

Rovers pressed late on with Trevor Clarke just failing to meet substitute Dean Clarke’s low cross.

But Curtis might have added to Derry’s winning margin on 87 minutes, but for another stunning one-handed stop from Hyland.

Shamrock Rovers: Hyland; Hanney, Cornwall, O'Connor; Madden, Miele, Cregg, K. Brennan (McCabe, 65), T. Clarke; Boyd (Dobbs, 71), Shaw (D. Clarke, 71).

Derry City: G. Doherty; McDermott, Vemmelund, Jarvis, McClean; McEneff, McCormack (Monaghan, 66); Schubert (Boyle, 72), McNamee, Curtis (B. Doherty, 89); Patterson.

Referee: Ray Matthews (Longford).