LEAGUE OF IRELAND: Derry City 0 Dundalk 1DUNDALK CLIMBED out of the Premier Division relegation zone following this sensational win at a rain-lashed Brandywell last night.
And towering striker Darren Mansaram was the Dundalk hero when his back-flick in the 54th minute stunned the big attendance.
Chris Turner had floated in a corner which was headed back across the face of goal by substitute Ger Rowe and Mansarams deft touch found its way to the net off the leg of Barry Molloy.
For Derry it was a hugely disappoint defeat, their second consecutive loss on home soil.
Derry now drop to third place following Cork’s victory over Galway and, more worryingly, are five points adrift of leaders Bohemians.
Having practically owned the ball throughout the first half, Derry struggled to find the net despite having created several clear-cut openings.
Dundalk had to line out without captain Thomas Heary, who failed a pre-match fitness test, and centre half Simon Kelly limped off after just 14 minutes with a leg injury – forcing a number of early positional switches.
However, the overworked visiting defence held firm with former Derry City player Dave Rogers producing an outstanding performance when moved into the heart of the Dundalk defence.
But credit to the visitors who, after defending stubbornly before the break, moved forward during the opening 10 minutes of the second half to cause the home side their fair share of problems.
And Mansarams goal was a particularly soft strike to concede in a set-piece situation which will also send alarm bells ringing around the Brandywell.
The goal saw Derry step up a gear but Rogers organised his defence well and his former colleagues were kept at bay.
DERRY CITY: Doherty; O'Brien, McChrystal, Hutton, Gray; McGlynn (McManus, 56 mins.), Molloy (Martyn, 69 mins.), Higgins, Stewart; Morrow, Farren (Kearney, 78 mins.)
DUNDALK: Bennion; Shaun Kelly, Simon Kelly (Rowe, 14 mins.), Coburn, Rogers; Synott, O'Callaghan, Turner, Singh; Mulvenna, Mansaram (OBrien, 88 mins).
Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).
