DESPITE having fullback Donal Broughan sent off in the 43rd minute and manager Turlough O'Connor ordered from the dug-out, Bohemians last night deservedly booked their place in the Harp Lager FAI Cup semi-finals.

Finn Harps never made use of their numerical advantage in this bruising quarter-final replay at Dalymount Park.

Indeed, the Dublin club seemed to thrive in the face of adversity and never looked like surrendering the vital lead goal given to them by Derek Swan after just 34 minutes.

The pieces of the jigsaw have fallen perfectly for those who wanted the top teams in the semi-finals, with Bohemians joining Sligo Rovers, Shelbourne and St Patrick's Athletic in the draw.

The turning point of the match came just four minutes before the interval when Broughan was red carded by Cork referee Pat Kelly for a late challenge on young Jonathan Minnock. The Donegal man was stretchered off the field and taken to hospital with a ligament injury.

Harps manager Dermot Keely was among those attending to Minnock's injuries on the centre of the pitch when O'Connor was ordered from the dug-out for abusing both the linesman and referee.

"Mr O'Connor was ordered from the dug out for encroaching on the pitch without permission. Mr Keely had earlier sought and received permission to attend to his player," said Kelly.

Harps, on their first visit to Dalymount Park in II years, looked the more adventurous outfit in the early stages and came close to breaking the deadlock when Jonathan Speak was just wide of the target with a 30-yard effort.

Speak, always an exciting attacker, almost nipped in for Harps after 29 minutes when allowed freedom on the left following a perfect through ball from Alan Doherty. The Harps striker skipped past the challenges of both Broughan and Moody before a vital tackle by Robbie Best prevented the Dublin side from going into arrears.

Bohemians grabbed that all important first goal after a long clearance by goalkeeper Dave Henderson in 34 minutes. A knock-on by Maurice O'Driscoll was cleverly back-heeled by Tony Cousins for Swan to shoot into the corner of the net.

John Gerard McGettigan went close for Harps prior to the interval. His first effort was blocked and then he shot wide on the rebound.

After the departure of Broughan, one would have expected that Harps would grow in confidence. And on the stroke of half-time McGettigan again tested the home defence only for Henderson to push away his effort for a corner.

Bohemians never allowed Harps to get into the game in the second period and did have the ball in the net on 66 minutes, only for O'Driscoll to be booked for deliberate hand ball. Harps, despite the territorial advantage, never really threatened the Bohemians defence apart from one effort by Doherty straight at the goalkeeper.

Bohemians pulled downs the final curtain on Harps' cup challenge when substitute Peter Hanrahan set up the chance for Tony Cousins. The Bohemians striker ran at the visiting defence and unleashed an unstoppable shot which rebounded off the post into the far corner of the net.

In the dying minutes Noel Melvin had a header against the bar for Harps and then a Tony O'Connor effort for Bohemians struck the angle of the upright and crossbar. But by that stage it was all of acadenic interest.

The big four were through to the cup semi-finals the first time that has happened in 14 years.