A Marc Kenny penalty, in the 69th minute kept Shamrock Rovers fourth in the table following this incident packed game at the Brandywell yesterday.

Played in horrendous conditions, Kenny sent Derry's reserve keeper, Gerard Doherty, the wrong way after Peter Hutton had been adjudged to have hauled down Jason Sherlock inside the area.

But the Rovers midfielder can count himself fortunate to have remained on the pitch seven minutes after the goal when he appeared to strike out at Derry's Marty McCann with an elbow in an off-the-ball altercation.

Referee Paul McKeon opted to produce a yellow card. However, afterwards the Dublin official stood over his decision, describing the incident as "hand-bagging at 10 paces and nothing more."

Derry, minus the services of midfielder Paul Hegarty, encountered further difficulties when they lost full-back Eddie McCallon and keeper David Platt through injury during the 90 minutes.

Played in a constant downpour with a strong wind making life particularly difficult for both sides, Rovers always looked dangerous with the breeze at their backs.

And they should have taken the lead in the 12th minute following a fluent move involving Brendan Markey and Derek Tracey. The ball was eventually worked into the path of Jason Colwell who blasted over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Derry went close when a Liam Coyle shot was hacked off the Rovers goal-line.

And the Dubliners almost pressed the self-destruct button in the 20th minute when a poor back-pass by Terry Palmer was intercepted by McHugh. But while the Derry striker got to the ball before keeper, Tony O'Dowd, he directed his first time shot wide of the target.

Derry began to dominate in the second half and Coyle scored a superb goal in the 55th minute.

After receiving the ball from Sean Hargan, Coyle turned Paul Whelan before hammering a low shot into the corner of the net giving O'Dowd no chance.

Then with the visitors on the offensive, Derry keeper Platt made a superb double save in the 64th minute to keep his side in the driving seat. A free-kick by Kenny was parried at full stretch by Platt before the keeper got up to throw his body into the path of Colwell's rebound.

But those saves signalled the end for the keeper who was substituted after injuring his foot.

Rovers continued to throw players forward and made the break through when Hutton was adjudged to have held Sherlock as he worked his way into the Derry penalty area in the 69th minute.

O'Dowd, making his first return to the Brandywell following his £10,000 transfer two months ago, saved a Darren Kelly drive in the 78th minute as Derry dominated the latter stages.

And, in the 89th minute, Gary Beckett was so unlucky when his shot from 20 yards hit the outside of the Rovers post.

Derry City - Platt; McCallion, Curran, Hutton, Hargan; E Doherty, Beckett, Gauld, McCann; Coyle, McHugh. Subs: Kelly for McCallion (26 mins), G Doherty for Platt (66 mins), McCaul for McHugh (84 mins).

Shamrock Rovers - O'Dowd; Britton, Brazil, Whelan, Tracey; Sherlock, Colwell, Palmer, Kenny, Markey; Cousins. Subs: Woods for Kenny (90 mins).

Referee: Paul McKeon (Dublin).