Rovers defeat Derry to remain nine points clear
Daire Walsh
Champions Shamrock Rovers came from behind at Tallaght Stadium last night to earn a 2-1 win against Derry City in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
Following the concession of an early goal to ex-Hoops defender Daniel Lafferty, Lee Grace and Danny Mandroiu fired home to edge Stephen Bradley’s men into the driving seat.
Matching the result of St Patrick’s Athletic in their tussle with Drogheda United, this keeps the title holders nine points clear at the summit of the table with a game still in hand.
The Hoops suffered a set-back when Lafferty headed a Jack Malone free-kick past Alan Mannus in the sixth-minute.
However, it didn’t take long for the hosts to get themselves back on level terms.
Selected at right-wing back, team captain Ronan Finn delivered an enticing cross on 19 minutes that was nodded home in clinical style by centre-half Grace.
While Rovers were expected to push on for the remainder of the opening period, diligent defence from Derry looked set to leave the teams inseparable at the break.
That was until Mandroiu capitalised on superb build-play by Rory Gaffney to fire to the bottom right-hand corner on the stroke of half-time.
This left Rovers in a strong position on the resumption, but Lafferty’s close-range miss off a Malone corner on 52 minutes was a reminder that the Candystripes still posed a threat.
Derry went on to enjoy a sustained spell of possession, before Rovers pushed hard for a third goal past the hour mark.
Gaffney had a header turned away by the outstretched arm of Gartside, while Roberto Lopes and Dylan Watts were narrowly off-target as the Hoops sought to place the outcome beyond doubt.
Clear-cut opportunities were few and far between inside the final-quarter with Derry doing their best to make life difficult for the home team.
Nevertheless with Aaron Greene, Chris McCann and lively teenager Aidomo Emakhu adding fresh legs off the bench, Rovers comfortably saw out the game to move a step closer to back-to-back league crowns.