Carl Winchester heaps praise on his perfect cousin Liam Boyce

Winchester heaped praise on Derry's front three - Boyce, Michael Duffy and Gavin Whyte - who played a key role in the 2-0 win against Shelbourne on Friday night with their non-stop running and pressing.

Boyce's goal just after the hour mark epitomised that workrate as he hounded Sam Bone who was struggling to deal with a badly timed back pass, dispossessed the Shels defender and finished expertly into the net.

That's two in two for the 34 year-old former Northern Ireland international and his third for the season and there was no one more delighted than his cousin.

"That was his whole career," he said. "His work off the ball is outstanding. When he gets in those positions he's scoring. He's so good for the team. He holds the ball up and brings people in. No wonder he's played at the top level.

"You could see it out there, his workrate is unbelievable and that's where the goal comes from, nicking the ball back and a great finish."

It was very much part of Derry's gameplan to allow Shelbourne to have the ball but to force mistakes with a high press and highly energetic display in the middle of the park. Winchester and Adam O'Reilly were key cogs in the wheel.

"We knew they were a possession based team and have good players. They've changed from last season and are starting to play a lot more football. We just didn't want to let them play through us and show them wide.

"If we got the opportunity to press then press. The first goal was good - a well worked set piece we've been working on in training.

"Then the second goal 'Boycie' sees a bad back pass and pounces on it. 'Boycie' deserved that goal. The front three worked so hard and gave us a platform behind them to be solid.

"So fair play to them. They put a lot of miles in and 'Boycie' got his reward. Mickey got his reward and I thought Gavin's work off the ball was outstanding.

"We limited them to very little. All around we were solid and that's important if you want to go on a good run, clean sheets are the most important thing."

It was a significant win which will inspire confidence heading into Monday night's visit of the newly installed league leaders St Patrick's Athletic led by former Ireland and City boss Stephen Kenny.

It was excatly what the doctor ordered for Lynch's troops after a low point in Waterford which scuppered a promising run.

"We knew we needed a reaction from the Waterford game because obviously there were questions asked of us and rightly so because we didn't perform anywhere near our standards. Sometimes those things happen in football. It was important today to put those wrongs right and we did that."

The fans certainly enjoyed a first league win over Shelbourne in eight attempts and it was well received given the Dubliners title win on Foyleside was still fresh in the mind for many.

"They really do deserve it. Everytime we come to the Brandywell they're in their numbers. Without them we wouldn't be able to put in performances like that so they deserved that from last November when it would've been tough to watch them [Shgels] lift the trophy. So it was probably a good one for the fans tonight."

It's a quick turnaround to the Pat's game but Winchester is relishing every minute of it.

"That's the games you want to play in. The league leaders coming to the Brandywell, there's no better game to play in.

"When you're a young lad that's the games you want to play in and it's on TV and there will be a big crowd as well.

"All the lads will be looking forward to it and we can bring confidence into it after tonight.

"That's why we all came to the club - to be successful or else we wouldn't have come. Speaking to the manager and people higher up, that's our intention to be successful this year and that's why I came to Derry City because it's a big club and I want to be successful.”