Ciaran Martyn's goal secured Derry's place in the relegation play-offs

Derry City got the win they needed to avoid automatic relegation from the Premier Division of the Eircom League.

A 20th minute goal from Ciaran Martyn was enough to secure the Candystripes a place in the relegation play-offs.

In the semi-finals Derry will play Limerick who finished fourth in the First Division.

The first leg will be played at Limerick's Pike Rovers ground on Wednesday 3 December (1400 GMT) with the return at Brandywell on Saturday 7 December (1930 GMT).

The winners of the Derry v Limerick semi-final will then take on the team that emerges from the other two-legged semi-final game between Finn Harps and Bray Wanderers.

There is a now a very real prospect of Derry meeting their north-west rivals Harps over two legs with a place in the Eircom Premier Division up for grabs.

Derry's slender victory was vital as anything less would have left them bottom of the Premier Division and automatically relegated.

UCD were poised to capitalise on any slip-up as they beat Longford Town 2-0 but as things turned out Martyn's strike condemned his former club to the drop.

The decisive goal came after Sean Hargan's low cross from the left side of the penalty area was stabbed in first time by Martyn.

Waterford had midfielder Wayne Fitzgerald sent-off 10 minutes from time for retaliation after a tangle with Martyin.

Waterford United: Connor, McLoughlin, Breen, Mulachy, Frost, O'Brien, Fitzgerald, Clifford, Murphy, Waters, Fenn.

Derry City: Gough, McCallion, Hutton, McLaughlin, Hargan, Doherty, Martyn, Hedderman, McGlynn, Beckett, Farren.

Semi-finals first legs (Wednesday)
Finn Harps v Bray Wanderers (2000 GMT)
Limerick v Derry City (1400)

Semi-finals second legs (Saturday)
Bray Wanderers v Finn Harps (1945)
Derry City v Limerick (1930)

Final first leg (10 December)
Finn Harps/Bray Wanderers v Limerick/Derry City (Kick-off tbc)