Sadou Diallo to miss FAI Cup Final after red card in Dundalk defeat

Derry City 0

Dundalk 1

Derry City midfielder Sadou Diallo will miss next week’s FAI Cup final after being sent off in the defeat to Dundalk at the Brandywell.

The midfielder reacted badly to a punch from Robbie McCourt in an incident which also saw the Dundalk man red-carded just 20 minutes into the game. It was the biggest talking point of an irrelevant game as the Candystripes secured a second placed finish in the Premier Division despite the loss.  

It was Dundalk who struck first and it was a brilliant strike from former Derry City player Keith Ward. The home side failed to clear the ball sufficiently from a corner and when it came to Ward on the corner of the penalty area, he drilled the ball back through a crowd of players past the unsighted Brian Maher and into the net.

The game exploded into controversy on 20 minutes as both teams were reduced to ten men. Dundalk midfielder Robbie McCourt lashed out at Sadou Diallo and the City midfielder retaliated in kind, and referee Rob Hennessey showed no leniency, showing both players the red card. It was a devastating blow for Diallo and City with one of their best midfielders now set to miss the FAI Cup final as a result.

When the game resumed, Dundalk should have made it 2-0 when David McMillan went through on goal, but he was denied by a huge save from Maher, who kept a dishevelled Derry City in the game.

A half hour passed before City really tested Peter Cherrie in the Dundalk goal, Dummigan feeding the ball through for James Akintunde, but the goalkeeper was out quickly to charge the shot down.

City started to look more threatening as half time approached, and Joe Thomson was on the end of every chance that came their way, the midfielder snatching at a cross from Boyce, before trying to place a shot moments later, only for Cherrie to save comfortably.

Derry laboured to get back into the game in the second half and they should have had their equaliser with jut seven minutes remaining. Andy Boyle slipped on the edge of his own area and Joe Thomson pounced to set up substitute Jamie McGonigle, but the striker shot wildly over the bar with just Peter Cherrie to beat.

Teams

DERRY CITY: Maher, Boyce, Lafferty (Coll 71’), S McEleney, McJannet, Dummigan, Thomson (McEneff 83’), Diallo, Graydon, Kavanagh (Patching 57’), Akintude (McGonigle 71’).

DUNDALK: Cherrie, Macari, Gartland (Boyle 80’), Leahy, McCourt, Ward (Bradley 71’), Lewis, Hauge, Adams, Martin (O’Kane 63’), McMillan (Hoban 71’). 

REFEREE: Rob Hennessey.