Derry City FC: The long road to the Aviva!

Derry demolish St. Pat’s

Derry City 3-0 St Patrick's Athletic   |   Mullen (2), Duffy   |   Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium   |   July 21

Derry City stunned St. Patrick’s Athletic with three goals in 15 second half minutes to progress to the third round of the FAI Cup.

Ruaidhri Higgins and his players were under pressure to produce a result following their Europa Conference League humiliation against FCB Magpies last Thursday, and they answered their critics emphatically.

Scoreless at half time, this cup tie exploded into life in the second half with Will Patching missing a penalty before two goals from Danny Mullen and one from Michael Duffy devastated St. Pats.

St. Pat’s missed a great chance to take the lead just seven minutes in when a well-worked free-kick routine almost paid off. Brandon Kavanagh whipped the ball into a packed penalty area, where Duffy’s attempted header clear turned into an assist for Jake Mulreany, who came in unmarked at the back post. Mulreany couldn’t control his finish however and Mark Connolly was able to head clear.

Stephen Kenny’s side were patient, allowing Derry City to boss possession before breaking, and this tactic almost delivered midway through the half. A misplaced pass from Mark Connolly led to Jake Mulreany being released down the left and his cross all the way to the back post was met by Chris Forrester on the volley with Brian Maher having to parry the ball away.

Derry City finally threatened on 37 minutes and Anto Breslin had to come to his team’s rescue when he cleared Mark Connolly’s header off the line from Will Patching’s corner.

The second half began dramatically with referee Rob Harvey pointing to the penalty spot less than two minutes in after McMullan went down in the area under a challenge from Sjoberg. Amidst protestations from the Pats’ players, Will Patching placed the ball on the spot, but he saw his effort brilliantly saved by Anang, who dived fully to his left to keep the ball out.

The Pats’ joy was short lived however as Derry City took the lead within five minutes. Duffy went racing down the left, into the penalty area where he pulled the ball back from the byline to Mullen, who brilliantly back-heeled the ball past Anang and into the net.

It got even better for Derry City as they doubled their lead just five minutes later. Ben Doherty’s corner into the heart of the penalty area was met with a bullet header from Danny Mullen, who powered in his seventh goal of the season.

Michael Duffy celebrates his goal which helped Derry City to a commanding victory over St. Patrick’s Athletic. (Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile)

But the red and white wave was incessant and Pats’ had no answer as Derry City made it 3-0 on 67 minutes. McMullan won the ball deep in the Pat’s half and found O’Reilly who set up Duffy, who caressed the ball beautifully into the corner past Anang to seal progression into the next round.

Derry City: Maher, Coll (Whelan 84’), Connolly, Todd, Doherty; Dummigan, O'Reilly, Patching (Diallo 84’); McMullan (Kelly 84’), Mullen (Hoban 73’), Duffy.

St Patrick's Athletic: Sojiberg, Redmond, Grivosti (Turner 84’), Breslin; Lennon (Palmer 63’), Forrester, Leavy (Elbouzedi 63’); B Kavanagh (C Kavanagh 71’), Melia (McClelland 84’), Mulraney.

Referee: Mr Robert Harvey (Dublin).

Todd steps up to send Derry through

Cork City 0 1  Derry City   |   (Todd) Turner's Cross   |   August 16

Sam Todd’s first goal for Derry City earned his team a quarterfinal spot in this season’s FAI Cup at the expense of Cork City.

The defender, on as a second half substitute, rose highest to head home Ben Doherty’s corner to secure a very important win for Ruaidhri Higgins and his players at the home of the First Division’s runaway leaders.

The final score line does not do Cork City justice however, with the home side missing several big chances in a one-sided first half, with Derry extraordinarily lucky to reach half time still in the game.

There was no doubt that the home side had the best opportunities in the game early on and the two big-name signings each had a chance to get their first goal back in Cork City colours. Cork’s first corner of the game should have resulted in a goal for Malik Dijksteel, but he somehow missed his header from close range, but the ball still fell invitingly for Ruairi Keating, who volleyed over the bar from close range when it looked easier to score.

Dijksteel then set up Sean Maguire, sending the Cork striker through on goal, but he took his shot early and sent it right across goal past Maher but also past the far post, much to Derry’s relief.

The home side were busy all over the pitch and Maher had to come to Derry’s rescue on 25 minutes when O’Reilly lost the ball to Dijksteel, who flicked the ball through for Keating, who went through on goal only to be denied by the Derry City goalkeeper who was off his line quickly to block.

The first half ended with Derry City cut wide open again, and again it was Dijksteel doing the damage, sending Maguire through on goal again; this time the striker got it right and beat Brian Maher, but Corm were denied by an incredible goal line clearance from Ciaran Coll.

Cork were unable to raise themselves to the same levels as they did in the first half, and they paid the price when Derry City broke the deadlock on 72 minutes. Unable to create anything from open play, the visitors were left relying on set-plays, and they made one count when Ben Doherty’s corner found substitute Sam Todd, who headed in his first ever goal for the club.

Sam Todd scored his first senior goal for Derry City at Turner’s Cross.  (Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile)

The visitors almost paid the price for that miss as Cork City came so close to equalising within 60 seconds, substitute Cian Murphy’s volley fingertipped over the bar by an alert Maher.

Cork City: Wade, Coleman, Bolger, Dijksteel (Murphy 76’), Murray, McLaughlin, Crowley, Lyons, O’Sullivan, Maguire, Keating.

Derry City: Maher, Doherty, S McEleney, Coll, Dummigan, O’Reilly (Todd 53’), Patching, McMullan (Kelly 86’), Duffy, Mullen (Dialo 71’), Hoban.

Referee: Marc Lynch

One-sided quarter-final at the Brandywell

Derry City 2-0 Shelbourne   |   Duffy, Mullen   |   Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium   |   September 14

Derry City dominated Shelbourne to secure their place in the semi-final of this season’s FAI Cup.

Goals from Michael Duffy and Danny Mullen made the difference in a largely one-sided display between the two teams locked in the battle for the league title race this season.

But it is now just Derry with dreams of a double as they finally beat a stubborn Shels side they had previously drawn with on six successive occasions.

This game was expected to be tight and tense, especially in the early going but the home side could have taken the lead with less than two minutes gone. Paul McMullan found Will Patching in space running towards the Shelbourne penalty area, and he had the chance to pick his spot, but he blazed high over the bar.

It was an open and energetic start to the game and Sadou Diallo should have gone one better than Patching on seven minutes when Michael Duffy’s low cross found him all alone in the Shels area, but the midfielder – with just one goal in 18 appearances this season - shot just wide of Conor Kearns’ goal.

Derry City’s promising start to the game was rewarded midway through the half when they opened the scoring with a rare first half goal.

It was a goal of the highest quality which began with O’Reilly winning the ball in his own half. Mullen dropped back to receive the ball with his back to goal, but instead dummied it into the path of Patching 20 yards from goal. The midfielder in turn found Duffy one on one with Tyreke Wilson, and with the Brandywell fans expectant, Duffy shot across goal into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the season.

It could well have been 2-0 just five minutes before half-time when the dangerous McMullan picked out the run of Mullen in behind, and the striker took the ball around Kearns only to be denied by Shane Griffin, who stopped the ball on the line.

The next goal in this game was going to be absolutely crucial and it almost came Derry City’s way on 58 minutes. McMullan cleverly nutmegged Kamerin Ledwidge as he passed to Ronan Boyce in the area, and Mullen threw himself at the defender’s whipped cross, but could only guide his header across goal and wide.

But Mullen was always there and he was in the right place at the right time to double Derry City’s lead on 64 minutes. Again, McMullan was involved, as he sent Patching in behind and his ball across the face of goal was met by the striker who fired in his tenth goal of the season.

Derry City: Brian Maher, Andre Wisdom, Mark Connolly, Ciaran Coll, Ben Doherty (Ronan Boyce 41’); Sadou Diallo (Patrick McEleney 65’), Adam O'Reilly, Will Patching (Jacob Davenport 86’); Paul McMullan, Daniel Mullen, Michael Duffy.

Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, Kameron Ledwidge, Paddy Barrett, Shane Griffin (Rayhaan Tulloch 61’), Tyreke Wilson; Matty Smith (Sean Boyd 61’), Mark Coyle, Ali Coote (Evan Caffrey 73’), John O'Sullivan (Liam Burt 73’), Harry Wood (Samuel Bone 61’); Aiden O'Brien.

Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin).

Duffy double at Dalymount

Bohemians 0-2 Derry City   |   Duffy (2)   |   Dalymount Park   |   October 4

Derry City ensured their season at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin thanks to two Michael Duffy goals at Dalymount Park.

The winger struck a goal in each half of an absorbing Cup semi-final, the first spectacular, the second fortuitous, as the Candystripes reached their second FAI Cup final in three years.

There was an electric atmosphere inside Dalymount before kick-off with the Bohs fans dreaming of their team reaching successive cup finals.

A stroke of good fortune led to Derry’s first opportunity on 17 minutes, and it came from the first time that Michael Duffy got a run on the Bohs’ defence. Four Bohs players converged on Duffy but the ball ricocheted into his path and he raced into the area before pulling it back straight into the path of Pat Hoban who didn’t get a clean hold of on his left foot, giving Kacper Chorazka a comfortable save.

The Candystripes were having to be alert defensively with Grieve dropping deep into his own half and Rooney and Tierney switching on the right, but the visitors held firm and come the half hour they had two chances in 60 seconds which had Chorazka worried.

Firstly, McMullan found the run of McEleney in behind the Bohs defence, and his pull back found Hoban, who dd well to retain possession under pressure before lying it off for Adam O’Reilly, who drilled an effort just over from 25 yards.

The game exploded into life three minutes before the break when Derry City took the lead in spectacular fashion. Pat Hoban won the ball just inside the Bohs area and found Duffy who was fouled just a yard from the 18-yard box.

Gareth McGlynn joins in the celebrations at Dalymount Park. (Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile)

Derry City should have doubled their lead in the opening five minutes of the second half when Patrick McEleney split the Bohs defence with a superb first time pass to send Paul McMullan through on goal. The winger had the freedom of Dalymount Park, but he couldn’t even hit the target, shooting badly wide with just Chorazka to beat.

The game was held up for 10 minutes due to a change of referee assistant due to injury, and that interrupted any momentum Bohemians were trying to build.

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The game had resumed just a few minutes when Derry City struck again to silence Dalymount Park. Again it was Duffy who struck the blow, but rather than spectacular. This one was fortuitous, as the winger skipped inside past two opponents and went for goal, with the ball catching out goalkeeper Chorazka by bouncing just in front of him and into the net. Duffy, Ruaidhri Higgins nor the traveling fans cared as they took one huge step closer to the FAI cup final.

Duffy was then denied a hat trick by a superb save from Chorazka in added time, but it was ultimately the Candystripes’ night in Dublin.

Bohemians: Chorazka, Smith (Kirk 37’), Mills (Miller 58’) Flores, Byrne, McDonnell (Piszczek 74’), Devoy, Rooney (Meekinson 74’), Grant, Grieve (Clarke 58’).

Derry City: Maher, Doherty, Connolly, Wisdom, Boyce, O’Reilly, Diallo (Whelan 94’), P McEleney (Davenport 76’), Duffy, McMullan (S McEleney 94’), Hoban (Mullen 85’).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.