IT'S been a very good week for Derry City and this Premier Division victory over Dundalk made the week all the more successful both on and off the pitch.

Having secured a substantial sponsorship in midweek - a deal spanning over the next three years - the Candystripes moved into second spot in the table for 24 hours at least with this win.

And it was a thoroughly deserved victory which saw Stephen Kenny's side hold a 2-0 half-time lead having produced some superb passages of play. Indeed the Dundalk defence was regularly stretched by the workrate and trickery of wingers, Gareth McGlynn and James McClean.

And those efforts were rewarded in the 31st minute when McGlynn broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. The goal was fashioned by a Patrick McEleney break through the centre of the park and when he found McGlynn, the winger’s low shot crept into the corner of the net.

Derry doubled their lead four minutes later and again, the goal followed another flowing move. Daniel Lafferty broke on the left and as McClean’s touch appeared to be going wide, Eamon Zayed slid in on the blind side to guide the ball home from an acute angle.

Dundalk’s Daniel Kearns produced some moments of tricky on the right flank while Ross Gaynor and Mark Quigley failed to hit the target when well placed. And with James McClean and Gareth McGlynn causing no shortage of problems on the flanks, Dundalk found themselves on the back foot.

After the break the home side continued to boss the ball and McGlynn went close again in the 58th minute, his swirling cross touched onto the crossbar over.

Derry continued to press and while they failed to add to their lead, they alwys looked comfortable in the vital areas with Scot Stewart Greacen a dominant figure at the back.

Dundalk's Jason Byrne and Mark Quigley had chances near the end but they failed to trouble hoome keeper, Gerard Doherty.

DERRY CITY – Doherty; McCallion, Greacen, S McEleney, Lafferty; McGlynn, Higgins, Deery, McClean; P McEleney (McLaughlin 72), Zayed.

DUNDALK – Cherrie; Madden, Guthrie, Hawkins, Murphy; Kearns, McDonnell (Ward 75), Bennett, Gaynor; Byrne, Quigley.

REFEREE – D. Hancock (Dublin).