National League Premier Division: Derry City 2, Cork City 0 Derry City stretched their unbeaten record at the Brandywell to six matches following this deserved victory over defending champions Cork City on Saturday night.
And while Stephen Kenny's men got the rub of the green with their opening goal in the 44th minute, Derry dominated the second half to move to within one point of Drogheda with the benefit of a match in hand.
Cork manager Damien Richardson had no complaints afterwards but he did suggest the "fluke" which broke the deadlock had been a defining moment.
"There was nothing in it for me, neither side looked like scoring but then they got one of the most bizarre goals I have ever seen, luck was with them. That incident, for me, was the defining moment and when that happens you can do very little about it.
"It followed a corner kick which we defended well. We headed the ball clear and yet it ended up in the back of the net off one of our own players . . . that one incident changed the game for me.
"We were a little better in the second half and we passed the ball more but we just didn't do enough to merit even a draw."
The goal was a fluke, Paddy McCourt's corner saw John O'Flynn rise to clear but the ball struck the back of Danny Murphy's head and rebounded to the net.
However, Derry's second strike, in the 55th minute, again involved "man of the match" McCourt.
His low centre was diverted to the net off the underside of the crossbar by the alert Ciarán Martyn.
Kenny, while delighted with the win, refused to allow his players pat themselves on the back.
"I felt it was easy enough for us in this game as Cork didn't create too many real chances. Excepting Danny Murphy's shot which crashed off the crossbar and Alan Bennett's chance before we scored, that was it.
Kenny also suggested this year's race for the title would be "particularly competitive".
"I think last year was, perhaps, a two-horse race - Cork and ourselves. But this year we have four or five teams heavily involved in the race," he said.
"It makes for a better league. Apart from Cork and ourselves, one can't rule out the likes of Drogheda, Shelbourne and, possibly, St Patrick's, but you have to make your home form count and that's what we achieved this weekend."
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Hutton, Oman (Deery, 74 mins), Hargan; McCourt, Molloy (Higgins, 84), Martyn, Brennan; S O'Flynn, Farren (Cash, 86)
CORK CITY: Devine; Lordan, Murray, Bennett, Murphy; O'Donovan (Softic, 85 mins) O'Callaghan, O'Brien, Gamble; J O'Flynn, Fenn (Behan, 80).
Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).
