Efficient Shamrock Rovers dispatch toothless Derry City

There was a sense of inevitability as the floodlights brightened the Dublin 24 dusk – Shamrock Rovers would see this out – and it hardly seems a stretch that the same can be said of their quest for four titles in succession.

Derry looked the Hoops' biggest challengers going into this season but their levels have patently gone downhill in the past couple of months and, despite coming to Tallaght with endearing intentions, they were ultimately no match at all for the home side.

Rory Gaffney's slow-motion strike decided a game that went from pulsating to forgettable – though at 1-0 down Derry at least in theory still had prospects.

The concern is that, despite a worrying Neil Farrugia departure (injured late in the first half) and Jack Byrne getting an early shower too, Derry barely managed a sniff of goal in the final 80 minutes.

So, with the champions far from hitting top gear, and having a seven-point lead over the rest despite failing to win any of their first half-dozen games, we are seemingly facing into another title race lacking drama – which is just what Shamrock Rovers want.

It took them a long time to reach this level, but somehow they remain hungry, evolving and a long way ahead of the rest. It was a first half of two halves and a game of two halves, the final 45 minutes generally devoid of anything of note.

Derry started with purpose and were on top in the opening stages but Rovers continue to give the impression that they are playing within themselves and they will be more than content going into European combat shortly.

Derry face a battle to finish in the first two but they will justifiably point to so much having gone wrong this season, some of it down to their artificial surface at Brandywell.

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