Stoppage time winner sends Derry up to second place

CONTRASTING EMOTIONS: Ryan Graydon of Derry City celebrates after scoring his side's first, and winning goal, in injury-time of the second half during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Shelbourne and Derry City at Tolka Park in Dublin. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Shelbourne 0 Derry City 1 

Ryan Graydon scored a stoppage time winner to lift Derry City back up to second place in the Premier Division table as Shelbourne’s dogged defence just couldn’t hold out at Tolka Park.

With goalkeeper Brendan Clarke inspired and his rearguard holding solid, Damien Duff's Dubliners looked like they would earn a battling point.

But with the watch into the 91st minute, Derry skipper Patrick McEleney threaded a ball through for the run of winger Graydon whose drive took a cruel deflection off Shelbourne captain Luke Byrne to finally beat the wrong-footed Clarke.

In a game that ebbed and flowed from start to finish, Derry might have been ahead after just 15 seconds.

Getting the ball immediately into the Shels box from the kick off, Brandon Kavanagh laid it off for McEleney who curled his shot wide.

The ball was in the Shelbourne net on 10 minutes but Joe Thomson’s effort was flagged offside.

Shelbourne played their way into the game and finished the first half the stronger.

JJ Lunney worked Brian Maher with a drilled shot before a dreadful challenge on the Reds midfielder by Sadou Diallo should have received more than just a yellow card.

Shels left wingback Conor Kane then set up Brian McManus who skied over.

Derry fluffed the first clear cut chance of the game three minutes into the second half.

Ciaran Coll and Thomson got the ball into James Akintude to apply the finish dead in front of goal. But he shot feebly straight at Clarke.

Shelbourne regained the initiative, Gavin Molloy forcing a corner off Cameron Dummigan.

Moylan, relatively quiet up until then, showed his quality to make room for fire a shot over Maher’s crossbar.

Michael Duffy’s introduction gave Derry impetus as they soon forced two terrific saves from Clarke.

First the veteran Shelbourne keeper tipped over a speculative shot from McEleney.

Duffy then skipped away on the left to cross for Akintunde with Clarke making a brave stop at the striker’s feet.

And Clarke was there once again to save the blushes of Gavin Molloy on 75 minutes.

A loose pass sent Graydon galloping through on goal to be stopped by a combination of Clarke and Byrne before his luck held for the winner at the death.

Shelbourne's woes compounded by striker Sean Boyd being shown a red card after the final whistle.

Shelbourne: Clarke; Griffin, Byrne, Ledwidge; Lunney (Hakiki, 76), Molloy; Farrell, McManus (Dervin, 67), Kane; Moylan (Hodgins, 85), Boyd.

Derry City: Maher; Dummigan, S. McEleney, McJannet, Coll; Diallo, P. McEleney; Graydon (Lafferty, 90+3), Thomson (Boyle, 60), Akintunde (Kavanagh, 78); Kavanagh (Duffy, 60).

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).