Derry and Shelbourne battle yet again in the FAI Cup!

Derry City and Shelbourne meet again in the FAI Cup this weekend, to continue a decades-long rivalry in the famous competition.

Saturday will be the first time the clubs have met in the FAI Cup since that one-sided cup final at the Aviva two years ago, but it hasn’t always gone so smoothly for the Candystripes with both clubs involved in some memorable battles over the years.

When it comes to the FAI Cup, the record is pretty even, with Derry City winning seven times, and Shelbourne six times, in 18 ties played between the sides over the years. Below are just a few of those memorable games.

   February, 1987 – First Round   

Shelbourne 2-2 Derry City / REPLAY: Derry City 4-0 Shelbourne

Da Gama crushes Shelbourne after Harold’s Cross drama - Alan Sunderland made his mark early, again crossing for Alex Krstic to head Derry into the lead. All seemed set for another Derry win, but Shelbourne had other ideas and two goals in six minutes, from Paul McDermott and Dom Tierney turned the game on its head. The Candy Stripes were heading out until a huge stroke of fortune went their way 20 minutes into the second half when defender Tierney, in attempting to head the ball back to his own goalkeeper, miscued completely and headed it into his own net.

There was just no stopping Derry City who made short work of Shelbourne in the cup replay at the Brandywell. Owen Da Gama striking another hat trick, while Krstic also grabbed his by now customary goal in a rampant 4-0 win.

   April, 1993 – Semi-finals   

Shelbourne 0-0 Derry City / REPLAY: Derry Citty 2-3 Shelbourne

Season ends at the Brandywell - A 0-0 draw at Shelbourne set up a semi-final replay on April 21. The game at the Brandywell was end to end, and although Paul Carlyle gave Derry an early lead, it was Shelbourne who lead at the break thanks to goals from Anto Whelan and Gary Haylock.

Derry adopted a four-two-four formation in the second period and that adventure paid off when Mark Ennis scored to make it 2-2 with half an hour remaining. But just 17 minutes from time Shelbourne struck the winning goal when Dermot O’Neill could only parry a shot from Ken Browne and Haylock was there to fire in his second goal of the game from 20 yards. Striker Paul Trainor was red carded in the closing stages and Derry City’s season, which had again promised so much, ended in ignominy when managers Roy Coyle and Pat Byrne clashed at the final whistle.

   May, 1995 – Final   

Derry City 2-1 Shelbourne

Cup final redemption for Gauld and Derry! - Just eight minutes into the 1995 FAI Cup final, City Derry opened the scoring when Harry McCourt played a one-two with Liam Coyle before crossing low into the penalty area. Arriving right on cue was Peter Hutton, who took a touch before he steered a shot past Alan Gough.

Derry City players celebrate after their 1995 triumph. (Photo: David Maher/Sportsfile)

All eyes immediately turned to Stuart Gauld, wondering if his penalty miss just two weeks earlier at Athlone was still weighing heavily on his shoulders. But to his credit, the Scot strode confidently forward, placed the ball on the penalty spot, and with 8,000 terrified Derry fans watching on, drove the ball firm and true into the corner of the net, away from Gough, to make it 2-0.

This penalty exorcised Gauld’s demons and he had all but won Derry the FAI Cup in doing so.

Greg Costello pulled a goal back from the penalty spot at the other end, but Derry held on for an emotional victory.

   October, 2012 – Semi-finals   

Derry City 1-1 Shelbourne / REPLAY: Shelbourne 0-3 Derry City

Tolka triumph for jubilant Candystripes! - Derry City players were met with boos from a section of home fans as they trailed 1-0 at half time thanks to an early goal from Shelbourne’s David Cassidy. David McDaid’s second half equaliser took the game to a replay at Tolka Park but several senior City players, including captain Kevin Deery, publicly questioned the logic of the booing supporters in the club’s biggest game of the season.

Shelbourne had been nothing but a nuisance to Derry City since they first met in March and after holding firm at the Brandywell, an extremely trying semi-final replay awaited in midweek. But when Devine needed his team to perform, they finally stepped up to the plate and on a memorable night in Dublin, two goals from Stephen McLaughlin and one from David McDaid sent Derry City to their first FAI Cup final since 2008 courtesy of a comprehensive 3-0 victory.

   November, 2022   

Derry City 4-0 Shelbourne

Derry City dominate at the Aviva! - Derry City thrashed Shelbourne 4-0 in front of 32,000 spectators at the Aviva Stadium to secure their first FAI Cup triumph since 2012.

Goals from Jamie McGonigle and Cameron McJannet had Derry in control by half-time and McJannet and Jordan McEneff's late penalty added to their advantage.

Ruaidhri Higgins' side took the lead in the 19th minute when Ryan Graydon's cut back from the byline found McGonigle, who swept the ball to the net from close range.

Derry doubled their lead on 35 minutes as Michael Duffy's shot took a deflection off a Shels defender and fell to McJannet.

McJannet got his second and gave the 15,000 travelling Derry fans more to cheer about as he bundled home from close range to ensure it would be red and white ribbons on the FAI Cup this year. The fourth goal did come in injury-time when substitute McEneff was brought down by Gavin Hodgins and the 21-year-old midfielder took the spot kick himself, making no mistake as he celebrated in style in front of the elated Derry support.