Ciaran Kilduff keeps champions Dundalk on track at Belfield

UCD 0 Dundalk 1

Defending champions Dundalk progressed to the semi-finals of the FAI Cup thanks to Ciaran Kilduff’s second-half goal at Belfield Bowl.

UCD made it hard for Dundalk but one they opened the scoring they were in full control and could have added to their tally.

It was more or less a full-strength home side but, considering their current commitments and the demands on Stephen Kenny’s squad, the visitors started with a different 11 from that which started in the league win over Sligo Rovers on Tuesday night.

Dundalk had a chance on five minutes when Chris Shields and Ciaran Kilduff combined to put Michael O'Connor through but his shot went over the bar. Then on 11 minutes O'Connor returned the favour with a low pass into the box for the inrushing Shields but he missed the ball by seconds.

Following the early Dundalk pressure, the home side came more into the game and gave Dundalk a scare on 20 minutes when Cathal Brady’s wicked drive struck the upright.

At the other end Dean Shiels put Kilduff through on goal on 35 minutes but having looped the ball over goalkeeper Niall Corbett, Kilduff saw his effort go wide.

Dundalk had claims for a penalty on 39 minutes when Ciaran O'Connor was brought down in the area by Mark Langtry, but referee Derek Tomney waived them away, though booked Langtry two minutes later for a rough challenge on Robbie Benson.

O'Connor, who, it later transpired, had picked up a bruised rib in the challenge from Langtry, was replaced in first half injury-time by Daryl Horgan.

Dundalk started the second half in fine form and Horgan almost picked out Shane Grimes with a cross on 49 minutes but it was cut out by Maxi Kouogun. A minute later Shields headed a Horgan cross over the top.

Dundalk were knocking on the door with each chance that came their way and they finally broke the deadlock on 66 minutes when former UCD man Kilduff rose highest in the box to head in from Horgan’s cross from the right. It was his second goal in this season’s cup campaign and seventh overall in 2016.

Kilduff could have had a second on 73 minutes when he got on the end of a Horgan cross but took too much time about settling himself and failed to get his shot in. Then a minute later Horgan had a pop himself but blasted his effort over the bar.

UCD: Corbett; Langtry, Kouogun (Collins, 76 mins), T Boyle, Scales (Byrne 90+1 mins); Brady, Watson (Kelly, 79 mins), O'Neill, Sloggett; Swan, Waters.

DUNDALK: Sava; Poynton, Barrett, Keane, Grimes; Shields, M O'Connor (McEleney, 54 mins), Shiels (A Boyle, 75 mins), Benson, C O'Connor (Horgan 45+2 mins); Kilduff.

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin)

Wexford Youths 1 Derry City 3

Second half strikes from Lucas Schubert and Barry McNamee completed Derry City’s come-from-behind victory to put them deservedly through to the semi-finals of the FAI Cup at Ferrycarrig Park.

Though Eric Molloy gave Wexford an early lead, Derry stormed back with strikes from Rory Patterson and Schubert before McNamee sealed it late on.

Wexford christened their debut in the quarters-finals of the competition with a confident start that resulted in their taking the lead with a delightful goal six minutes in.

Ex-Derry midfielder Jonny Bonner won the ball to feed it to Paul Murphy who treaded a perfect pass through for the run of Molloy.

The winger raced into the area to calmly side-foot past the advancing Ger Doherty for a composed finish.

Derry, five-times winners of the trophy, responded with Youths’ goalkeeper and captain Graham Doyle forced into a terrific save on 22 minutes.

Ronan Curtis’s cross from the left wasn’t cut out by the home defence as Schubert’s low drive brought a superb one-handed save from Doyle.

Derry continued to press to get back into the game and weren’t far off equalising on 35 minutes.

Schubert whipped over their seventh corner of the game which defender Niclas Vemmelund headed narrowly wide.

The visitors’ pressure finally told with literally the last kick of the first half.

Having collected Conor McDermott’s pass on the edge of the area, Patterson turned cleverly to see his shot deflect off Gary Delaney to fly into the corner of the net.

Remarkably, Youths wasted a gilt-edged chance to regain the lead just 12 seconds into the second half.

Murphy was left totally unmarked as he rose to meet Molloy’s right flank cross only to plant his header over the bar when he should have scored.

But it was Doyle at the other end who kept his side in the game with a brace of saves inside a minute.

First Doyle thwarted Patterson who had been put in on goal by Dean Jarvis.

The Youths goalkeeper was then there again to save once more with his feet from Barry McNamee’s drive after Patterson nodded down impressive teenage right back McDermott’s cross.

Dominant Derry deservedly went ahead on 67 minutes when man-of-the-match Aaron McEneff’s free kick came back off a post.

Midfielder Schubert reacted first to the rebound only to see his header parried by Doyle. But the ball fell kindly back at the Austrian’s feet for him to sweep it home with his right foot.

McNamee then sealed Derry’s merited win on 84 minutes when turning in the box to shoot home their third goal.

WEXFORD YOUTHS: Doyle; Friel, Delaney, Grace, McCabe; Molloy, Kenny (Higgins, 82 mins), Bonner, Keenan; Dunne (Mulligan, 74 mins); Murphy.

DERRY CITY: G Doherty; McDermott, Vemmelund, Jarvis, B. Doherty; McEneff (Ward, 89 mins), McCormack; Schubert (Boyle, 89 mins), McNamee, Curtis (Daniels, 64 mins); Patterson.

Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).