Derry City...(2) 2
Patching (23); Duffy (39)
Shamrock Rovers..(0) 0
Derry City comfortably sealed their first President's Cup win, seeing off champions Shamrock Rovers, at a sold out Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
Goals from Will Patching and Michael Duffy, combined with a terrible goalkeeping error by Rovers net-minder Leon Pohls, meant the Candystripes won the first piece of silverware of the season.
The Foyleside men, in truth, probably should have won by a bigger margin, however this win over the Hoops will be a nice little boost ahead of next week's opener at St Patrick's Athletic.
With the managers having one eye on next week's league opener, both Ruaidhri Higgins and Stephen Bradley wanted to win the game, especially with their strong team line-ups.
After President Michael D Higgins was introduced to the players, there was a moment's applause for the recent passing of City boss Higgins' brother Kevin, who sadly died in Sweden a week ago.
It was City, who gave debuts to duo Ben Doherty and Adam O'Reilly, who started on the front foot with WIll Patching going close early on, but his free-kick flashed just wide.
Derry broke the deadlock in superb fashion on 23 minutes as Ben Doherty fed Michael Duffy down the left and his teasing centre found Patching, who ghosted into the box, before calmly firing home past Rovers goalkeeper Leon Pohls.
Rovers had a chance to level things moments later but Marcus Poom fired over from 20 yards after Johnny Kenny had created the chance.
On 36 minutes, RIchie Towell was unlucky not to level matters when his 20-yard strike, which had Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher worried, sailed just over.
Derry doubled their advantage following a goalkeeping howler by Pohls when he somehow left Michael Duffy's stinging drive right through his hands into the net.
Maher was called into action early in the second half, as he did well to keep out Kenny's strike.
The woodwork denied Derry a third on 48 minutes as Patching's strike, which had Pohls beaten, came crashing back off the crossbar and Duffy's follow-up strike hit the side netting.
Derry were inches away from scoring a third on 72 minutes but substitute Jamie McGonigle saw his left-footed drive flashed just wide.
The only slight downside to the evening was the security alert outside the Brandywell and fans were told to leave via different exits.
Derry City:Maher, Coll, Connolly, McEleney, Doherty; Diallo, O'Reilly, Patching; Graydon (McEneff 65), C Kavanagh (McGonigle 56), Duffy (Ward 87).
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls, Lopes, Grace, Cleary (Clarke HT), Nugent (Farrugia HT), Towell (Byrne HT), Watts (Greene 65), Poom, Kenny (Power 65), Burt (Burke HT), Cruise.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).