National League Premier Division/Shamrock Rovers - 1 Derry City - 0: Trevor Molloy's strike lifted Shamrock Rovers up to second place in the Premier Division table as Derry's goal drought stretched to a pitiful seven-an-a-half hours.
Molloy gave substance to Rovers' first-half dominance with his 31st minute headed strike, more than sufficient, ultimately, to make it seven league games unbeaten for Liam Buckley's in-form side.
Derry, forced into three changes by the 48th minute, enjoyed much of the possession in the second half, but, in truth, didn't force Noel Mooney in the Rovers goal into one save of note.
Reverting to the 4-3-3 formation which served them well prior to their trip to Cork last week, Rovers, with three changes in their starting 11, controlled long spells of the first half. So much so that Buckley wouldn't have been happy they were only one goal to the good at the break.
That came about following referee Eddie Barr playing a crucial advantage after a foul on Derek Tracey down the left. Paul Caffrey found Mark Rutherford whose sublime cross was finished by Molloy with a looping header.
That made amends for a bad miss by the Rovers' striker minutes earlier when he decided to use his feet rather than his head to meet Keith Doyle's centre and blazed way over the crossbar from just yards out.
That wasn't the only let off for the under-pressure Derry goal. Caffrey, who had cleared off his own line from Gary Beckett after four minutes, set up fellow midfielder Mark O'Brien who volleyed wide before Stephen Grant was guilty of not putting Rovers ahead earlier when his all too casual shot was superbly saved by Patrick Jennings.
Having fallen behind, Derry thought they had levelled within five minutes when Eamon Doherty turned home Seán Hargan's miss-hit shot only for it to be disallowed for offside.
It got no better for Derry as within three minutes of the second half all their substitutes had been used with first Davy Byrne, then Clive Delaney and finally Beckett going off.
Grant should have sealed the win with a second goal for Roversbut volleyed wide after availing of a mistake by Eddie McCallion.
It was all Derry thereafter, though manager Gavin Dykes won't have been happy that they never really threatened to breach Mooney's goal as the pressure on him intensifies.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mooney; Croly, McGuinness, Palmer, Doyle; O'Brien, Tracey, Caffrey (Deans, 84 mins); Rutherford, Molloy, Grant.
DERRY CITY: Jennings; Brennan, Delaney (Murphy, h/t), McLaughlin, McCallion; McGlynn, Hutton, Doherty, Byrne (O'Grady, 16 mins), Hargan; Beckett (Deery, 48).
Referee: E Barr (Dublin).
