FAI Cup: Derry City 1 (Duffy 73) Drogheda United 1 (Quinn 2) (Drogheda win 3-0 on penalties)
Luke Dennison proved the hero for Drogheda United in an emphatic penalty shootout victory over 10-man Derry City at Brandywell as the FAI Cup holders progressed to the quarter-finals.
The American goalkeeper saved twice from Jamie Stott and Danny Mullen while Adam Frizzell fired over the bar as the Boynesiders won 3-0 on penalties with Owen Lambe dispatching the winning spotkick.
It is one win in the last six games in all competitions for Derry with Tiernan Lynch’s first season in charge threatening to fizzle out.
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Six-times winners Derry were out to avenge last year’s FAI Cup final defeat to the Co Louth men found themselves behind after two minutes.
Andrew Quinn, who scored the first goal in that 2-0 cup final victory at the Aviva Stadium last November, broke the deadlock for the Boynesiders after just two minutes.
Swansea City loanee Josh Thomas did brilliantly to cut the ball back into the defender’s path after a quickly worked free-kick and Quinn sidefooted it into the net at the near post.
It was a disastrous start for Derry and it could have been a lot worse but for Brian Maher’s heroics when producing a stunning save to deny Ryan Brennan’s close range effort on the hour mark.
Five minutes later Duffy produced a moment of magic to send the game into extra-time with his ninth FAI Cup goal for his hometown club and his ninth of the season.
Luke Dennison denied Ronan Boyce’s point-blank header with an instinctive save during stoppage time in the first half of extra-time.
Derry skipper Mark Connolly had the ball in the back of the Drogheda net late on but referee Rob Harvery ruled his header out for a foul on Conor Keeley in the build-up.
Ben Doherty was shown a straight red card in stoppage time at the end of extra-time for dissent after Duffy felt he should have had a penalty kick.
The match was to be decided on penalties and Dennison saved twice before Lambe fired home the winner emphatically to send the holders through.
Drogheda got off to the perfect start and silenced the Brandywell attendance with the opening goal after two minutes.
From a quickly taken free-kick, Welshman Thomas raced past Adam O’Reilly and got to the byline before cutting it back to Quinn who sidefooted home.
Moments later Thomas raced onto on tong ball over the top and got beyond Derry’s last man but his strike on the half-volley from 25 yards went wide of the post.
It was a sluggish start from the Candystripes and they were fortunate not to be further punished when skipper Mark Connolly gifted Warren Davis possession deep inside the Derry half. He drove towards goal before finding Markey in support but the midfielder’s strike from the edge of the box sailed over.
The home side finally carved open space in the resolute Drogs’ defence on 18 minutes when Gavin Whyte dipped his shoulder, turned James Bolger before firing a shot goalwards and straight into the hands of Luke Dennison.
Moments later Derry had claims for a penalty kick. Duffy found Fleming just inside the penalty area and the former Hull City wingback went down under the challenge of Owen Lambe but referee Rob Harvey was unimpressed and play continued.
The Brandywell outfit were warming to the task and when Akinyemi dropped deep to receive the ball outside a crowded penalty area, the Londoner sidestepped Conor Keeley before his powerful strike was turned over the crossbar by Dennison.
Diallo dragged a shot wide of the target before Winchester tried his luck from distance but the home crowd were becoming increasingly frustrated.
Thomas once again almost capitalised on a misplaced pass from Diallo in the middle of the park but Connolly recovered well to stop his run on the edge of the Derry box.
The Derry team were booed off at the break and needed a big second half to salvage their cup hopes and indeed, their season which threatened to fall apart.
It was Drogheda who came closest to adding a second when Keeley’s effort at the back post was turned behind at his near post by Brian Maher on 56 minutes.
Derry boss Lynch went to his bench and made four substitutions in an attempt to swing the game in his favour as Liam Boyce, Danny Mullen, Ronan Boyce and Ben Doherty entered the fray.
Ronan Boyce crossed into a crowded penalty area and Liam Boyce chested the ball into the path of Akinyemi but Quinn did brilliantly to deny the striker a shot on goal. It broke to Winchester but his close range strike was deflected behind for a corner.
Liam Boyce was making a positive impact and when he turned neatly on to his right foot and curled towards goal on 64 minutes, Dennison acrobatically tipped it over the bar.
Maher kept Derry in the game with a stunning reactionary save to deny Brennan’s goalbound header from Markey’s free-kick with 20 minutes to go.
Derry were back on level terms in emphatic fashion on 73 minutes and it was talisman Duffy with a stunning strike to beat Dennison.
O’Reilly found Mullen on the right wing and the Scotsman picked out Duffy in space on the edge of the 18 yard box. The Derry man turned on to his left foot and drilled his strike into the roof of the net.
It was his ninth of the season and arguably his most important this season. With 60 seconds to go Derry were pressing for a winner but this time Duffy’s left footed strike from distance went harmlessly over the bar.
Derry were in the ascendancy as the tie entered extra time and Mullen tested Dennison with a thunderous strike from 25 yards but the Drogs’ keeper punched it clear.
Drogheda sub Fuhad Kareem barged Sam Todd out of the way before taking down a long punt upfield but the striker fired high and wide to waste a promising attack.
Dennison somehow saved from point-blank range to deny Ronan Boyce’s header from Duffy’s cross in added time at the end of the first half of extra-time.
Connolly wheeled away to celebrate what he felt was the winner in front of the North Stand but referee Rob Harvey penalised the Derry skipper for a foul on Keeley before heading Ben Doherty’s corner into the net.
John O’Sullivan had a great chance to win it deep into stoppage time but curled his shot wide of the far post.
There was controversy in the dying moments of extra-time when Duffy went down inside the box but the match referee waved play on.
The Derry players were remonstrating with the official and Doherty received a straight red card for dissent to the annoyance of the home crowd.
The tie was to be decided on penalties and it was American stopper Dennison who proved the hero, saving from Jamie Stott and Mullen while Adam Frizzell fired high over the crossbar. Drogheda were clinical with Keeley and Thomas Ulowa sending Maher the wrong way before Lambe fired home the winner as the cup holders progressed to the last eight.
Derry City: Maher; O’Reilly, Bannon (Doherty 59), Connolly, Stott, Fleming (R. Boyce 59); Diallo (L. Boyce 59, Todd 102), Winchester; Whyte (Mullen 59), Duffy; Akinyemi (Frizzell 93).
Drogheda United: Dennison; Lambe, Kane (Cruise 98), Quinn, Keeley, Bolger (Cooper 71), Brennan (O’Sullivan 97), Farrell (Heeney 65); Markey, Davis (Kareem 94), Thomas (Oluwa 71).
Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin).
