Graham Burke scores goal of the season contender from halfway line in Shamrock Rovers win

Shamrock Rovers’ Graham Burke scores a long-range effort. Picture: INPHO/Tommy Dickson

DERRY CITY 0 SHAMROCK ROVERS 2

Shamrock Rovers moved menacingly closer to St Pat's at the top of the Premier Division table following this positive workout at the Brandywell.

And the highlight of what proved to be a solid Hoops performance was Graham Burke's sensational strike from the halfway line five minutes before the break.

Having extended their unbeaten league record to 25 matches over a 19-month period, the men from Tallaght will be delighted but for Stephen Bradley, this performance will be warmly welcomed as his side begins to move up a gear in terms of performance.

It was Derry who carved out the opening clear-cut scoring chance in the 15th minute having started the game on the front foot. David Parkhouse appeared to be chasing a lost cause when Sean Hoare headed the ball back to Alan Mannus, however, the Derry striker got a touch before the advancing Mannus, the ball crashing off the base of the upright.

Rovers responded within 60 seconds but Burke's tame low shot was directed at Nathan Gartside who gathered the ball with ease.

However, further pressure from the visitors reaped dividends in the 34th minute. Sean Gannon played Burke into a shooting position on the edge of the Derry box and while the striker's effort was superbly parried by Gartside, the alert Rory Gaffney gleefully guided the rebound into the unguarded net from close range.

Derry City goalkeeper Nathan Gartside watches Graham Burke's shot sail into the net at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

And it got worse for Derry as the game approached half-time when Gartside was caught straying from his goal-line. The alert Burke gained possession inside his own half and having carried the ball to the halfway line, he let fly with a shot that sailed high over the stunned keeper's head and into the net.

After the break Rovers continued to stretch the home side with swift and accurate passing movements as they attempted to extend their lead while Mannus was never forced into a serious save.

For Derry, four defeats in the opening four games equals the Brandywell club's starting statistic in 2003, a year in which the club escaped relegation thanks to that last gasp Liam Coyle strike.

And there's no doubt that the pressure on Derry boss Declan Devine will have increased significantly as he leads his side into this Friday night's televised game against Drogheda United.

Derry City: Gartside; Boyce, Toal, McJannet (Porter, 82), Coll; McAkintunde (Ferry, 75), Patching, Malone (Harkin, 75), Lafferty; Barr (McLaughlin, 82); Parkhouse (Fitzgerald, 60). 

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Hoare, Scales, Grace; Gannon, O'Neill, Mandriou, Watts (Nugent, 75), Murphy (Lopes, 65); Burke, Gaffney (Greene, 65).

Referee: D McGraith (Mayo).