Captain Michael Duffy netted his 17th goal of the season, as Derry City saw off Dundalk 2-1 in the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

The victory made it seven wins out of nine games since Derry returned to their home ground in June.

Some of Derry's passing and Duffy's goal showed how far they've come on since Mark Connolly was placed in interim charge.

Derry took the lead on 12 minutes in bizarre circumstances as the visitors failed to clear their lines and as the ball fell perfectly to Ellis Chapman inside the six yard, the midfielder still got his shot away despite slipping and although Dundalk centre-back Egor Vassenin blocked on the line, James Clarke was on hand to side foot home the rebound.

Dundalk's Enda Minogue had to make a big save minutes later as Duffy found Brandon Fleming inside the box, but the left-back's drive was kept out by the net-minder. Soon after a lovely passing move by Darragh Burns and Adam O'Reilly created an opening for the midfielder, but his first time shot fizzed just over the bar.

Just after the mid-way point of the half, the returning Brian Maher was called in action when he comfortably held onto Aodh Dervin's stinging 20 yard drive. To their credit the visitors created good chances in the closing stages of the first half with Tom Grivosti, Ronan Teahan and Trevor Clarke all going close to levelling things.

Derry missed a golden opportunity to double their lead on the hour mark as a lovely lay-off by Chapman found Clarke, but the ex-Bohemians' man's side footed strike was straight at Minogue.

The Candystripes netted a stunning team goal on 71 minutes as substitute Darragh Markey broke from midfield before he found Burns and the ex-Shamrock Rovers man's clever back flick found Duffy, who made no mistake, firing low into Minogue's bottom left hand corner.

Dundalk deservedly scored eight minutes later as substitute Shane Tracey, made no mistake from the edge of the box, firing past a fully stretched Maher. Deep into stoppage time youngster Terence Doherty went close with a long range strike from the half-way line, which had a back-tracking Minogue worried, but the ball sailed wide.

Derry City: Brian Maher, Cameron Dummigan (Conor Barr, 86), Jamie Stott, Patrick McClean, Brandon Fleming; Nick Twisk, Ellis Chapman, Adam O'Reilly (Darragh Markey, 67); Darragh Burns (Gavin Whyte, 72), James Clarke (Terence Doherty, 86), Michael Duffy (Kevin Dos Santos, 72).

Dundalk: Enda Minogue, Bobby Burns, Aodh Dervin, Daryl Horgan, Ronan Teahan, Trevor Clarke (Cian Dillon, 69), Egor Vassenin (Rob Cornwall, 56), Keith Buckley (Shane Tracey, 69), Tyreke Wilson (Harvey Warren, 69), Declan McDaid (Harry Groome, 56), Tom Grivosti.

Referee: Marc Lynch