Burke is four-star hero as Derry are hit for six

GRAHAM BURKE scored four times to help Shamrock Rovers to an emphatic, and well overdue, victory over Derry City at Tallaght Stadium. Rovers had a desperately poor record against their visitors in recent years, this their first win in eight outings, six of which they’d lost. Though Derry started the better, Hoops conjured a sublime lead goal on 41 minutes. Captain Ronan Finn’s delightful dinked through ball found the run of Burke who smashed his left-foot shot past Doherty. Dan Carr blazed over from Burke’s low cross two minutes after the break before Kavanagh, who trained at Derry pre-season before joining Rovers, made no mistake in doubling the lead on 51 minutes. Two goals in as many minutes ensured Rovers’ victory. Finn blasted home with a low drive from just outside the edge on 67 minutes. A poor clearance from Doherty was then punished as Brandon Miele set up Burke to shoot calmly to the corner of the net. Substitute Ronan Hale got Derry’s consolation on 73 minutes, driving home following Rory Patterson’s through ball. Two minutes later Burke’s hat-trick arrived when he tapped home Trevor Clarke’s low cross before racing clear onto substitute Gary Shaw’s pass to add his fourth in stoppage time. SHAMROCK ROVERS: Horgan; Boyle (Lopes, 68), Grace, Gilchrist, Clarke; Bone; Miele, Finn (McAllister, 73, Burke, Kavanagh; Carr (Shaw, 72). Scorers — Burke 41, 69, 75, 90+3, Kavanagh 51, Finn 68 DERRY CITY: G. Doherty; Cole, Toal, Logue (Ronan Hale, 58); McDonagh (McDermott, 28), Rory Hale (Kayode, 83), McEneff, Low, B. Doherty; Patterson, Curtis. Scorer — Hale 73 Referee: Tomas Connolly (Dublin).