Derry move within two points of St Pat's as they halt Shelbourne's seven match unbeaten run

CLOSING IN ON TOP SPOT: Derry City's Liam Boyce with team-mate Michael Duffy. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Derry City 2 (Duffy 14’, Boyce 31’) Shelbourne 0

DERRY City moved to within two points of leaders St Patrick's Athletic who visit Brandywell on Monday night after a first victory over champions Shelbourne since March 2022.

The Foylesiders issued a statement of their title intent with an impressive performance with first half goals from Michael Duffy and Liam Boyce sealing the win.

Damien Duff's side returned to the scene of their title celebrations last November but Dubliners trudged off the pitch at the final whistle as their seven match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.

Michael Duffy netted his sixth goal of the season and his second against Shelbourne when he fired home from Shane Ferguson's corner kick after 14 minutes.

That goal stunned the visitors who had dominated the ball up until that point but when Liam Boyce charged down Sam Bone's attempted clearance and slotted past Conor Kearns on 31 minutes - the Belfast man's second goal in two matches - it effectively ended Shelbourne's night.

It's three wins in four for Derry who leapfrogged the champions into fifth spot.

Derry were chasing shadows during the opening stages as the visitors bossed the ball without creating anything of note.

Against the run of play it was the home side who opened the scoring on 14 minutes when Shane Ferguson's inswinging corner was met by Duffy at the back post as the winger ran into the box unopposed before volleying into the net from close range.

Ellis Chapman's long ball forward was headed out into the path of Evan Caffrey in space on the edge of the box four minutes later but he screwed his shot wide of the target, Ronan Boyce volleyed narrowly wide of the far post with a terrific strike when Ferguson's cross from the left was headed into his path by a Shelbourne defender.

Derry doubled their lead on 31 minutes when Liam Boyce charged down Sam Bone's attempted clearance, controlled the ball on his chest, ran through on goal and fired clinically past Conor Kearns.

Just before the break Caffrey brought the ball down with a delicious touch but his arrowed strike towards the bottom corner was turned behind at full stretch by Brian Maher - the keeper's first save of the night.

There wasn't much goalmouth action in either half after the break with Derry doing well to contain the increasingly frustrated Dubliners.

Derry kept Shelbourne striker Mipo Odubeko quiet until the 80th minute when he forced his way in at the back post but his deflected shot was gathered cleanly by Maher.

The Candystripes impressively saw the game out with a professional display to secure a fifth clean sheet of the season to set up a crunch clash against the new leaders on Monday night.

Derry City: B Maher: R Boyce, M Connolly, K Holt, H Cann, S Ferguson (S Todd 60); G Whyte (R Benson 60), C Winchester, A O'Reilly, M Duffy (P McMullan 67); L Boyce (D Mullen 67).

Shelbourne: C Kearns; E Caffrey (J O'Sullivan 71), S Gannon, S Bone (T Wilson 65), K Ledwidge, J Norris (R O'Kane 71); A Coote (H Wood 65), K Inroy (J Martin 46), JJ Lunney, E Chapman; M Odubeko.

Referee: R Hennessy (Dublin)