Shamrock Rovers - 5 Derry City - 1 Rovers recorded their third and most important win of the season throughout incessant rain at Richmond Park last night.
Liam Buckley's men finally found their scoring touch, with five second-half goals.
Despite early pressure from the home side, Derry took the lead on 13 minutes from a deflected Gary Beckett free kick, his third goal of the season.
The 25-yard free had to be re-taken due to an encroaching wall. But Beckett's next attempt took a wicked spin off the wall, leaving Barry Ryan, formerly on West Ham's books, little chance to clamber a save to his left.
The Hoops had striker Stephen Grant in action early - with his second-minute free kick almost fumbled by David Forde on the sodden turf.
Heavy rain caused a general deterioration in the game's breakneck speed thereafter.
With growing pressure from Rovers' supporters, who were gasping for a goal having only witnessed five in the league campaign so far, Rovers levelled matters two minutes into the second period when referee Alan Kelly awarded a penalty for a push by Eddie McCallion on Shane Robinson. Right back Stephen Gough calmly slammed home the spot-kick to Forde's right.
Derry missed a chance to instantly re-take the lead when midfielder Sean Friars saw his own penalty pushed away brilliantly by Ryan just 40 seconds later. The former UCD stalwart has impressed with four clean sheets in the last eight games.
Increasing their impetus, Rovers stole into the lead on 58 minutes when a sliderule pass by Shane Robinson cut the Derry defence in half and James Keddy timed his run to perfection past Peter Hutton to dink the ball over the out-of-position Forde.
The Dublin side sealed the three points 10 minutes later when the rampaging Keddy struck a pile-driver from 20 yards which soared into the Derry net, from a Glen Fitzpatrick deflection, leaving Forde stranded once more.
To add a flattering gloss, Gough nabbed his second with 12 minutes remaining through a cross-cum-shot angled into the top right corner of Forde's net from the left-hand edge of the Derry penalty area.
And Keddy scored his third on 85 minutes after nipping in at the front post to get on the end of a Tony Grant centre.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: B Ryan, S Gough, R Byrne, S McGuinness, T Palmer, A Reynolds, S Robinson, T Grant, G Fitzpatrick, J Keddy, S Grant. Subs: G Lacey for Robinson (80 mins).
DERRY CITY: D Forde, E McCallion, M McChrystal, P Hutton, P McLaughlin, E Doherty, G McGlynn, P Moran, G Beckett, C Martyn, S Friars. Subs: G Gill for Moran (82 mins), D McCready for Doherty (86 mins), G Mullan for Beckett (88 mins).
Referee: A Kelly (Cork)
