James Clarke’s first-half goal delivered a second win in a row which sees City move into the top half of the table, having started the season in unconvincing form.

With ticket prices lowered to a bargain £10 for adults, a crowd of 7,104 contributed hugely to the sense of occasion.

City had to work for this win as Rovers asked some real questions in the closing minutes of normal time and the nervy seven minutes of injury-time but back-to-back wins have eased the pressure on manager Tiernan Lynch.

For Rovers, on a run of three straight wins, Graham Burke and Danny Grant dropped out of the side but they still started brightly.

Jack Byrne’s cross was aimed at Aaron Greene in the box but he just couldn’t get a shot in, and on 14 minutes Derry ‘keeper Eddie Beach was needed to cut out the danger posed by Cory O’Sullivan.

Rovers looked to up the tempo and came close to a goal on 20 minutes when John O’Sullivan decided to try his luck with Beach slightly off balance and City were relieved to see the midfielder’s shot come off the crossbar.

That was possibly a wake-up call for Derry as they took control of the game and were in front on 25 minutes. Adam O’Reilly sent in a corner which was not cleared, Brandon Fleming tipped the ball in and after a touch from Jamie Stott it landed for Clarke, unmarked and in sight of goal as he stabbed home his third of the season.

Derry were almost 2-0 up on 32 minutes. Rovers were not alert enough to deal with the danger as Clarke found space on the right and crossed for Josh Thomas, with Jake Mulraney needed to sweep things up.

Some of the away fans may have expected changes at half time but it took until the hour mark for Stephen Bradley to look to his bench with a quadruple change as Dan Cleary, Maleace Asamoah, Graham Burke and Adam Brennan were asked to step up.

But City had a grip on this game that would not loosen and they looked more likely to score, Clarke denied a second goal from close range by a save from McGinty just before the subs were made. Before that Rovers did have one good opportunity when a nice pass from O’Sullivan set up a snap-shot from Michael Noonan which was saved by Beach.

Rovers, with fresh legs off the bench, did have more menace about them in the last 10 minutes. John McGovern went close on 82 minutes after he was set up by fellow sub Burke and, on 87 minutes, an Aaron Greene run had the Derry defence stretched but there was no end product.

Rovers spent the seven minutes of added time camped in the Derry box, chances from Burke and Pico Lopes causing nerves for the home fans but City held on while at the other end Rovers needed McGinty to save from sub Henry Rylah. McGinty went up for a Rovers corner in the dying seconds but there was no miracle rescue as the champions are deposed from the top of the table by St Patrick’s Athletic.

DERRY CITY: Beach; Cotter (Barr 83), P McClean, Stott, Fleming (Doherty 76); Olayinka (Dipo 65), Winchester, Markey, O’Reilly; Clarke, Thomas (Rylah 83).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Sobowale (Cleary 60), Lopes, C O’Sullivan (Asamoah 60); Mulraney (Brennan 60), Byrne, Ozhianvuna, J O’Sullivan (Burke 60), Stevens (McGovern 76); Greene, Noonan.

REF: N Doyle