Shamrock Rovers were left still searching for their first win of the season as Derry came and got the point they clearly played for at Tolka Park yesterday afternoon.

Derry lost all three league games to Rovers last season and hadn't beaten them in Dublin in four years. The pity of the game was that Rovers hadn't the capability to break them down after a promising start. The game then deteriorated much to the frustration of the 1,500 crowd that vented their displeasure as the players left the pitch.

It might well have been different as, on a glorious day, the game started equally as brightly with Rovers taking the play to Derry from the start only to lose their way.

Indeed, Rovers could have found themselves two goals to the good within six minutes but for two excellent saves from Derry's debutant goalkeeper, David Platt. He initially did well to clear with his feet from Jason Sherlock after three minutes and then had to stretch fully to tip over the crossbar a diving header by Rovers skipper Richie Purdy.

Save for a long range shot from Gary Beckett that was a foot or so wide early on, Derry had to defend for much of the first-half and did so effectively most of the time.

It was unorthodox at times, however, with Paul Curran getting his body in the way of a shot from Mark O'Neill and Beckett doing likewise from Billy Woods as Rovers peppered the Derry goal for no tangible reward before the break.

Rovers continued to press in the second-half and a jittery Platt was foiling their attacks with some dubious goalkeeping. He failed to come for O'Neill's cross, forcing Curran to concede a corner and then needed Sean Hargan to clear off the line from Marc Kenny's inswinger.

Platt continued to live dangerously and flapped at another corner from Kenny soon after and then almost gifted a goal to Jason Sherlock when chesting the ball straight to him only to block the striker's poor shot.

"It was frustrating of us as they came for a point," said Rovers manager Mick Byrne. "But we were patchy all over and missed Jason Colwell in the middle of the park to put his foot on the ball and give us more options.

"We never really got going and our two front players were short of a yard and we lacked a bit of sharpeness in and around the box."

Shamrock Rovers: O'Dowd; Tracey, Palmer, Brazil, Dunne; O'Neill, Kenny, Purdy, Woods; Sherlock, Cousins. Subs: Morrisroe for O'Neill (62 mins), O'Meara for Sherlock (88 mins).

Derry City: Platt; McCallion, Curran, Gauld, M Kelly; Doherty, Beckett, Hegarty, Hargan; McHugh, L Coyle. Subs: Gilmore for L Coyle (68 mins), R Coyle for M Kelly (74 mins). Referee: T Tully (Cork).