League of Ireland: Derry City 1 (Mullen 65) Shamrock Rovers 2 (Noonan 70, McEneff 89)
Derry man Aaron McEneff came back to haunt his hometown club with a last gasp winning goal which sent Shamrock Rovers six points clear at the top.
Substitutions on both sides influenced this cat and mouse encounter on Foyleside but it was Michael Noonan and McEneff who earned three vital points for the Hoops in the end.
Derry haven’t won against Rovers in the league in nine attempts but sub Danny Mullen’s fifth goal of the season on 66 minutes put them firmly in the driving seat.
That lead lasted less than six minutes as Noonan headed in from close range after Roberto Lopes’ long range strike was turned on to the crossbar by Brian Maher.
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Derry reacted well to that setback but it was a former hero turned villain at Brandywell, McEneff who had the last laugh with a 89th minute winner.
Fellow sub, Danny Mandroiu threaded a pass through to Noonan who picked out McEneff’s run towards the near post and he made no mistake.
The midfielder was cautioned for his overzealous celebrations in front of the home support in the Southend Park stand to silence a record 5,000-plus attendance.
That goal ensured a fifth consecutive win for Rovers and a seventh game unbeaten as the Dubliners ominously started shifting through the gears.
Derry started with promise and Michael Duffy was gifted possession inside the Rovers penalty area when Dan Cleary’s attempted clearance fell kindly to the winger but his curling effort sailed harmlessly wide of the far post.
Referee Marc Lynch was generous with his bookings and issued three contentious yellow cards inside eight first-half minutes to Boyce and Winchester and Rovers’ defender O’Sullivan, who was replaced by Josh Honohan after just 18 minutes as Stephen Bradley wasted no time in turning to his bench.
Derry carved open the Rovers defence with a neat pass into the feet of Whyte just inside the penalty area on 25 minutes and the ex-Portsmouth man glided past his man before picking out Boyce eight yards from goal. The striker’s first time strike was deflected behind by Adam Matthews who recovered well.
From the corner the ball eventually came to Ferguson in space at the back post but the full-back fired his effort wide of the target.
Rovers’ first shot on target arrived on 33 minutes after Ferguson’s pass was intercepted inside his own half. Aaron Greene crossed low towards Graham Burke but his powerful strike was saved comfortably by Brian Maher.
Rovers were bossing the ball at the start of the second half but it was Derry who broke the deadlock in devastating fashion on 66 minutes.
Winchester won the ball from Byrne before finding McMullan on the right flank. The winger played a delicious pass to send his fellow Scot Mullen into space and the former Patrick Thistle striker finished expertly past Ed McGinty.
That lead lasted less than six minutes as Roberto Lopes’ ferocious strike from distance was turned on to the bar by Maher but substitute Noonan reacted to the rebound quickest and headed into the net from close range.
McMullan and Mullen combined brilliantly again on 75 minutes but the latter couldn’t get enough lift on the ball to guide it over the head of McGinty who snuffed out the danger.
Matthews made an important block to deny Duffy’s close range strike with nine minutes remaining as Derry went in search of a winner.
Rovers issued a killer blow in the final minute when Mandroiu split the defence with a searching pass into Noonan who picked out the run of McEneff and the Derry man made no mistake with a clinical finish.
Four minutes of stoppage time was signalled but Derry couldn’t find an equaliser as their four match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.
Elsewhere Drogheda United earned a 1-0 win over Bohemians at Weavers Park to climb above Derry into second spot.
St Pat’s were held 2-2 in Inchicore by Waterford, Galway left it late to earn a 2-1 win against Cork while Shelbourne came from behind against Sligo Rovers to return to winning ways.
DERRY CITY: Maher; Ferguson (Doherty 77 mins), Connolly, Holt, Cann, Todd; Whyte (McMullan 60), O’Reilly (Benson 84), Winchester, Duffy (Hoban 84); Boyce (Mullen 60).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Matthews, Lopes, Cleary, Grant, O’Sullivan (Honohan 18 mins), Byrne (McEneff 77), Nugent (Mandroiu), Burke (Watts 64), Greene (Noonan 64).
Referee: Marc Lynch.
