Derry City clinch President's Cup after dominant win over Shamrock Rovers amid ongoing security alert at Brandywell

DERRY CITY lifted the President’s Cup with an impressive victory over league champions Shamrock Rovers to lay down an early marker in the League of Ireland curtain raiser at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

First half goals from Will Patching and Michael Duffy decided the contest for the FAI Cup champions but it could so easily have been more for the Candy Stripes who will take huge confidence from this performance going into the start of the league campaign where they will be expected to be Rovers’ main title rivals once again.

There were no points at stake in this glorified FAI friendly but the dominant display from the home side will have struck the first psychological blow in the battle between last season’s top two as Ruaidhri Higgins made a welcome return to the dugout following the tragic death of his brother Kevin who passed away in Sweden, aged just 48.

Rovers won the league by 13 points last term and while a ball has yet to be kicked in the Premier Division, early indications would suggest Derry are capable of considerably closing that rather flattering margin.

It was the first time the President’s Cup was staged on Foyleside and the occasion and significant win for Derry was marred by a security alert developing outside the stadium on the Lone Moor Road which caused some disruption for fans exiting the venue.

The opening goal arrived on 23 minutes when Doherty found Duffy on the left wing and the winger did brilliantly to pick out Patching 10 yards from goal who smashed the ball into the back of the net.

Patching tested Pohls with a well struck free-kick from 30 yards drilled low towards goal but the Rovers keeper held the ball well.

Moments later Richie Towell found himself in a promising position on the edge of the Derry penalty area but his effort on the volley went narrowly over the crossbar.

Derry doubled their advantage six minutes before the interval as Duffy's powerful strike from distance squirmed through the legs of an embarrassed Pohl and nestled in the net.

It was Derry who threatened first, however, four minutes into the second half and Patching's curling strike from the edge of the box struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced out. Duffy followed up sharply but sent his strike into the side netting otherwise the match would've been surely out of sight for the league champions.

Derry sub, Jamie McGonigle fired just wide of the far post with a snapshot from just inside the Rovers penalty area on 73 minutes as the home lot pushed for a third.

President Michael D. Higgins presented the President's Cup to Derry City skipper Patching and Derry will go into next Friday night's trip to St Patrick's Athletic with real hope for the season ahead.

Derry City: Maher: Coll, Connolly, McEleney, Doherty; Graydon (McEneff 65), O'Reilly, Diallo, Duffy (Ward 87); Patching; Kavanagh (McGonigle 56): Subs Not Used - Ryan, B. Kavanagh, McLaughlin, Mullan, Barr, McCloskey.

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary (Clarke 45), Lopes, Grace, Cruise; Nugent (Farrugia 45), Poom, Watts (Greene 65), Burt (Burke 45); Towell (Byrne 45); Kenny (Power 65); Subs Not Used - Mannus, Ferizaj, Tetteh.

Referee – Neil Doyle (Dublin)