Shamrock Rovers' prolific frontman, Tony Cousins, was the hero at the Brandywell on Saturday night following his 42nd minute strike which compounded Derry City's woes this season. And making matters worse for the current champions comes the fact that Felix Healy's new-look side did not deserve to lose this one.
Having out-played Rovers at Tolka Park earlier this season, yet losing by the same scoreline, Derry dominated the play at a breezy Brandywell, but their consistent failure to find the target proved their undoing.
Playing against the wind in the first half, the home side looked so comfortable on the ball with the Rovers' defence forced to work overtime to keep Derry at bay.
However, fluent build-ups regularly foundered on the Rovers' 18 yard line, a point Healy took up afterwards. "I can't criticise my players for their effort" he said. "This is the second time we've murdered Shamrock Rovers yet failed to get anything from either match.
"Half my recognised first team was missing and I can't fault the youngsters who were brought in. There is no doubt we lack confidence in the front line and that has been our downfall this season," he added.
"We failed to get the breaks against Rovers and the longer the game went on, I just couldn't see us equalising," he concluded.
Cousins failed to find the target in the eighth minute when he attempted to place a Matt Britton cross to the net, but after the Rovers' defence had soaked up so much pressure, the Dubliner made amends three minutes before the interval.
Derry's Paul Curran lost possession in midfield and when Jason Colwell picked Cousins out on the edge of the Derry box, the striker swivelled sharply before unleashing a powerful drive which gave Tony O'Dowd no chance.
Derry continued to huff and puff after the break and while they enjoyed the lion's share of possession, they appeared to over-pass the ball and tried to walk it into the net.
Rovers escaped punishment when Colwell whipped a Darren Kelly volley off his goal line while Ryan Semple should have done better in the 53rd minute with the goal at his mercy from close range.
Rovers' keeper, Robert Forde, made an excellent save in the 71st minute when turning a 30-yard drive by Eamon Doherty wide of his post.
Derry City: O'Dowd; Doherty, Curran, Kelly, Gallagher; Semple, Taggart, Coyle, Keddy; Hargan, Beckett.
Shamrock Rovers: Forde; Purdy, Brazil, Whelan, Dunne; Britton, O'Neill, Colwell, Treacy; Stokes, Cousins. Subs: Kenny for Tracey (75 mins), Francis for O'Neill (91 mins).
Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).
