COMETH THE AAR

Greene the hero after calm finish hands the Hoops their eighth win in a row on Foyleside

AARON GREENE fired Shamrock Rovers to an eighth league win on the spin for the first time since the Hoops’ four-in-a-row heroes did the same in 1987.

But the league leaders got nothing handed to them on a night when a city stunned into silence by Thursday night’s tragic events found its voice again.

Derry City asked questions throughout, and particularly so in the second-half but ultimately lacked the guile to punish Rovers.

Earlier in the day, thousands gathered in Creggan to show solidarity with the family and friends of journalist Lyra Mckee, who was murdered by dissident republicans on Thursday.

People around these parts know about tough times but the return of paramilitary violence to their doorstep was a sobering and harrowing thought.

For many of them, Derry City FC is their release, the beating heart of the city.

Candystripes boss Declan Devine is a Creggan man, as is his assistant and former Derry City ace Kevin Deery. So too are current players Ciaron Harkin and Patrick Mcclean.

Throughout the week, so much of the city’s focus centred on this game and the tantalising prospect of the top two in the table squaring off in front of a sell-out crowd and the live TV cameras.

But it barely merited discussion throughout a sombre day yesterday. By kick-off, the mood was shifting – however briefly – with the city determined to rally in this time of adversity. The minutes silence was impeccably observed and for the following 90 minutes the locals enjoyed the release and roared on their team, who gave as good as they got in a first-half that fizzed along.

Rovers passed the ball well with Jack Byrne again to the fore while former Derry City star Aaron Mceneff ’s every touch was booed on his first return to these parts since joining the Hoops in the winter.

Derry weathered that storm, with Mcclean and Eoghan Stokes rattling off shots from distance, while the Brandywell was on its feet when Junior – always a handful – flashed a header across the face of goal.

Rovers responded by breaking swiftly for Greene to put them ahead two minutes before the break. Byrne slipped the striker through and with Eoin Toal playing him on side, Greene beat Darren Cole in the chase to finish low past Peter Cherrie.

But the leaders found it hard to generate momentum to pull clear after the break as Derry took a grip on proceedings and played in their face for the remainder. David Parkhouse provided a warning with a shot straight at Alan Mannus.

Ex-real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder Gerardo Bruno added creativity in midfield on his arrival but Derry’s ventures deep into Rovers territory went without reward, largely due to the impressive contribution of defender Joey O’brien.

Rovers do look the real deal but on this evidence, the tenacious Candystripes have justifiable hopes of pushing for European places.