Derry City - 0 Waterford Utd - 1: Waterford United overtook Shamrock Rovers in the basement of the Premier Division table following this shock at the Brandywell last night. And with joint leaders, Cork City also losing, Stephen Kenny's Derry will certainly have breathed a sigh of relief.
Victory for United, Derry's second defeat at home this season, confirmed that Pat Dolan's involvement at the RSC has proved highly significant.
Granted, Derry dominated the game after a sluggish start, having done everything but score, and in goalkeeper Packie Holden Waterford clearly had the man of the match within their ranks.
Waterford took full advantage of Derry's failure to sparkle in the 16th minute with a goal that stunned the 3,000 in attendance.
Following a throw-in on the right, the ball was headed on by Paul Crowley, and Vinny Sullivan displayed great technique by hooking the ball over his shoulder to find the net with goalkeeper David Forde having strayed off his line.
The goal appeared to wake Derry from their slumber as the home side clearly took control afterwards.
Sean Hargan headed straight at the Waterford goalkeeper in the 20th minute following a Killian Brennan cross, while a piece of Pat McCourt magic had the visiting defence in trouble four minutes later.
The former Rochdale and Rovers winger left three defenders in his wake before his shot was deflected wide of the post at the expense of a corner.
The home side should really have equalised in the 36th minute. Another deep cross from Brennan made its way to the back post, but Gareth McGlynn failed to get the vital touch.
A determined Derry maintained the momentum after the break and Holden pulled off a top-drawer save in the 53rd minute to keep Waterford in the driving seat.
Following a fluent Derry move, half-time substitute Stephen O'Flynn sent McGlynn away on the right and his low cross saw Brennan direct a shot on target, but Holden did superbly well to block the effort.
O'Flynn did well again in the 58th minute when his 30-yard free was touched over his crossbar by the alert Holden.
The clearly inspired Waterford goalkeeper then pulled off the save of the match in the 65th minute. A magnificent cross by McGlynn was met by Farren and his powerful header saw Holden dive at full stretch to parry the ball wide.
Derry actually had the ball in the net in the 67th minute when Killian Brennan hit the target, but the referee, Paul Tuite, ruled offside.
The home side continued to pressurise with Brennan blasting over the bar in the 76th minute as Waterford continued to defend their slender lead.
Derry manager Stephen Kenny switched his formation to three at the back in a last-ditch attempt to get something from the game, and with five minutes of added-time displayed, the pressure was really on the travelling party.
Kevin Deery skimmed the crossbar in the 93rd minute and Holden again came to the rescue at the death when he punched the ball clear twice before a courageous block on the penalty spot with the final kick of the game.
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Hutton, Delaney, McGlynn, Martyn, Deery, Brennan; McCourt, Farren. Subs: O'Flynn for McCourt (half-time), Murphy for Martyn (64 mins), Hargan for Delaney (73 mins)
WATERFORD UNITED: Holden; Breen, Doherty, Purcell, Browne; Crowley, Grant, Mulcahy, Heffernan; Sullivan, Watters. Subs: Andrews for Heffernan (60 mins), Lester for Grant (82 mins)
Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).
