This defeat appears to have convinced a large portion of the home fans that it won’t be happening under this regime.

Manager Tiernan Lynch and his players were booed in the aftermath of a result that they couldn’t really argue with.

Trailing by a goal at half-time, they huffed and puffed without ever looking like breaking down a depleted Shelbourne rearguard.

Quite simply, they did not create enough chances in the business end of the game to feel hard done by and the scrutiny on Lynch will now intensify.

Shelbourne, by contrast, will view this as a major step forward in their season after an unsatisfying outcome to a pair of Dublin derbies last weekend. They will head into Monday’s showdown with Bohemians in good health.

Lynch had changed his approach in an attempt to stimulate a response after a timid defeat in Tallaght where he spoke of how his players had showed the champions too much respect.

Reverting to the back three system that he used towards the end of last season gave James McClean and Adam O’Reilly more cover in midfield while Dipo Akinyemi was brought in as a physical central attacking outlet against a Shels side shorn of defensive physicality.

But while Derry started reasonably well, they fell behind to a moment of brilliance from Jack Henry-Francis who hovered at the edge of the area and outfoxed McClean with a little jink that facilitated a left footer from outside the box that gave Eddie Beach no chance.

Derry were levelled within a minute with Henry Rylah, the loanee from Charlton promoted from an impact sub role, showing a glimpse of what he can do with a run and right-footed shot that arrowed past Wessel Speel.

That gave Derry some impetus and a series of corners arising from dangerous crosses generated an enthusiastic response from fans. Shels looked set to be put under more pressure aerially when they lost Sam Bone and replaced him with James Norris, a change requiring a reshuffle.

James Norris came in at left wing back with Kameron Ledwidge moving inside and Daniel Kelly relocated to right wing back. They responded by going ahead with Norris involved with a purposeful dart down the left that culminated with Brandon Fleming getting in a muddle and Kell picking up the pieces against his former club.

The half time whistle wasn’t greeted by jeers as Derry had applied decent pressure before it but the unease grew as the second half minutes ticked past.

Shels, ultimately, were cuter in possession and they were clearly looking to put McClean under pressure in his own half with Kerr McInroy breaking forward to try and pose the Irish centurion issues. Derry had tried to go direct earlier on but struggled to find the angles to apply sustained pressure and Lynch rotated his options in the search for inspiration.

But it was the team in front that were creating the more clearcut chances with the busy Maill Lundgren testing Beach before making a break where John Martin just couldn’t get the killer connection on a chance to wrap up the three points.

Shels did fall deep in the final quarter, as the Candystripes launched a late attempt to salvage something from the evening.

But in the seven minutes of stoppage time, the best they could muster was a hit and hope from centre half Jamie Stott that was pushed to safety.

Monday’s trip to a revitalised St Patrick’s Athletic is already looking like a crunch point in City’s season.

Derry City: Beach, Bannon (Dummigan 79), Stott, P McClean; Cotter (Markey 60), O’Reilly (Olayinka 60), J McClean, Fleming; Rylah (Dos Santos 60), Duffy; Akinyemi (Thomas 72)

Shelbourne: Speel, Bone (Norris 32), Rossi, Ledwidge; Gannon, Henry-Francis, McInroy, Kelly; Wood (Coote 84), Lundgren (Jarvis 72); Martin (Freitas 72)

Ref: Neil Doyle (Dublin).