Derry City 2 Waterford 0: Derry City secured a valuable three points at the RSC last night when they produced their best display of the season to condemn Waterford United to their third successive league defeat.

Waterford spurned several good opportunities in a turgid first half which they just shaded.

After nine minutes David Breen nodded over from five yards after a fine Alan Reynolds corner and six minutes later Derry goalkeeper Pat Jennings was almost caught out when a Vinny Sullivan shot from 30 yards bounced viciously in front of him.

Derry, though, held out until the break and took the lead three minutes into the second half. Dan Connor collided with David Breen near the penalty spot after a Michael Holt corner and Alan Murphy seized on United's defensive indecision, firing the ball home from 16 yards for what was only Derry's ninth goal of the campaign.

Within two minutes Pat Purcell ought to have equalised for United, firing wide from eight yards after an Alan Carey cross.

But it went from bad to worse for the home side on 61 minutes when Derry doubled their lead.

Gareth McGlynn fired a fine crossfield pass to Michael Holt, who nodded the ball down to Seán Hargan and he scored with his second attempt after an initial block from Connor.

WATERFORD UNITED: Connor; Carey (O'Brien, 78 mins), Frost, Reynolds, Breen, Purcell, Clifford (Quitongo, 51 mins), Mulcahy, Murphy, Bruton (Waters, 62 mins), Sullivan.

DERRY CITY: P Jennings; D Brennan, S Hargan (O'Grady, 85 mins), P McLoughlin, E Doherty, C Martin, A Murphy, E McCallion, G McGlynn (Byrne, 85 mins), M Holt, C Delaney.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).