Billy Woods rescued Shamrock Rovers with a late equaliser as their lead slipped to four points after an intriguing top of the table clash with Derry.

Woods struck on 86 minutes to turn home a Shane Robinson cross from the right as Rovers' second-half pressure finally told.

But make no mistake Derry City laid down their title credentials with this rousing performance. Well organised throughout Kevin Mahon's side came to within four minutes of winning this match and would not have been flattered if they had.

Padraig Moran got the lead goal on 28 minutes having missed two very scorable chances. The ex-Sligo Rovers striker first exposed Rovers' rearguard on 15 minutes when exposing Terry Palmer to latch onto Gary Beckett's through ball but he could only toe-poke it straight at a grateful Tony O'Dowd.

Russell Payne scampered back to save on the line at the other end from Tony Grant after a mix-up with Darren Kelly two minutes later.

But it was Derry who were creating the real chances and it had to tell. Moran failed to connect when again getting in behind the Rovers defence from Payner's ball over the top on 26 minutes before finally punishing Damien Richardson's side with the lead goal two minutes later.

Shamrock Rovers: O'Dowd; Costello, Deans, Palmer, Byrne; Robinson, Tracey (Cousins 80), Colwell, Woods; S. Grant, A. Grant (Francis 60).

Derry City: Payne; McLaughlin, Kelly, E. McCallion; Doherty, T. McCallion, McGlynn, Coyle (Parkhouse 88), Hargan; Beckett, Moran.

Referee: A. Kelly (Cork)