Rory Gaffney strike moves Shamrock Rovers seven clear of title rivals Derry City

RORY Gaffney's first half strike proved enough for champions Shamrock Rovers to clinch a pivotal victory in the title race at Tallaght as they moved seven points clear of nearest rivals Derry City.

Ruaidhri Higgins' side will feel unfortunate not to take anything back to Foyleside given the dominated the ball and could perhaps have been awarded a penalty when Ryan Graydon was brought down inside the area by Roberto Lopes in the first half. However, the Candy Stripes ultimately lacked a cutting edge in front of goal and they were architects of their own downfall for that decisive goal.

Rovers saw out the game with Gaffney's 27th minute goal making it two wins from three in the head-to-heads with the Brandywell men who have lost their last three games on the road.

Higgins made two changes from the team that got back to winning ways at home to Cork on Friday night. Cameron Dummigan made a welcome return for his first appearance since tweaking his hamstring in the 4-1 loss to St Pat's in Inchicore at the start of the month.

He replaced Jordan McEneff who started on the bench.Ben Doherty, who scored the first goal in a 2-1 win the last time the teams met in Tallaght, was back in the starting eleven as Mark Connolly dropped to a weakened bench where Derry named just seven of the permitted nine substitutes.

The incentive for Rovers was to move seven points clear of their nearest rivals in the final home match in the league until August 4th. For Derry, they needed to keep on the tails of the champions with 14 matches remaining.

It was an encouraging start from the visitors as Rovers slowly got to grips with Derry's surprising 3-5-2 formation and when Graydon ran through the middle to chase Brian Maher's punt downfield he did well to cut it back into the six yard box but there was no one in support and the chance was lost after five minutes.

O'Reilly found the feet of Brandon Kavanagh on nine minutes in the middle of the park and the Dubliner turned neatly to get away from Cleary before racing towards goal but his strike from 25 yards went narrowly wide of the post.

Derry went to sleep from a quick throw-in from Farrugia which sent Johnny Kenny through on 14 minutes and the striker got there before Maher and clipped the ball over the head of the City keeper but Dummigan was well placed to clear the danger.Rovers fashioned the best chance of the half on 21 minutes when Kenny did brilliantly to turn his man in the centre circle before slotting the ball through to Towell.

The Rovers midfielder took a touch before firing towards goal but Maher made himself big and was able to turn it behind for a corner.The home side broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Dummigan's pass was intercepted and when Gaffney picked it up, he held off Boyce, ran inside and his reverse strike bobbled into the corner catching Maher out as he couldn't get across the goalline.

Derry felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty kick when Graydon was brought crashing down inside the penalty area by Lopes' outstretched right leg. Match referee Rob Hennessy awarded a free kick to Rovers and eventually booked the Derry winger for simulation after he received treatment for what looked like a dead leg.

He was replaced by McEneff shortly afterwards when he couldn't shake it off and moments after the substitution the dangerous Gaffney drove a shot low towards the net as Maher scrambled to get across but the striker dragged it just wide.

Towell fired one into the side netting in first half stoppage time while Adam O'Reilly tested Pohls with a decent strike from distance but it was Rovers who went into the break with a one goal advantage. Derry were enjoying plenty of the ball with Brandon Kavanagh finding pockets of space and the most likely to make something happen.

The start of the second half was pretty much uneventful in terms of scoring chances but when Gaffney skipped past McJannet on the right he ran inside before his effort was blocked behind for a corner by Shane McEleney.

Derry won a corner with seven minutes to go and when Doherty whipped it towards the back post substitute Cian Kavanagh had a free header but it bounced off his shoulder and wide of the mark.Brandon Kavanagh clipped a lovely ball into the Rovers penalty area but there was no one in a red and white shirt willing to take a chance to meet it and it was put behind for a corner.

Surprisingly there was just four minutes of stoppage time signalled considering the eight substitutions and a lengthy delay for a clash of heads in the second half. Connolly's shot was blocked at the near post but they couldn't break Rovers' resolve.

With 13 matches remaining it’s a long way back for Derry but with European matches and the FAI Cup on the horizon for both teams, there’s still plenty of football to be played as City turn attentions to a trip to Shelbourne this Friday night.

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Hoare, Lopes, Cleary; Farrugia (Gannon 45), Poom, Byrne (Burt 64), Towell (Watts 76), Kavanagh; Kenny (Burke 64), Gaffney (Power 76); Subs Not Used - Leitis, Nugent,Cruise, Noonan.

Derry City: Maher; Dummigan (Connolly 66), McEleney, McJannet; Boyce, Graydon (McEneff 38), Diallo (C. Kavanagh 75), O'Reilly, Doherty; B. Kavanagh; McGonigle; Subs Not Used - Ryan, Coll, McGinty, McCay.Referee - Rob Hennessy.