Derry City 2
Shelbourne 0
Simon Collins reports from the Brandywell
DERRY CITY DUMPED title rivals Shelbourne out of the FAI Cup with a convincing victory at Brandywell to keep alive their hopes of a ‘double’.
The last six meetings between these sides ended in draws – three of those stalemates but Derry found their shooting boots in front of a sold-out Brandywell to book their place in the last four.
Michael Duffy got the Candystripes off the mark on 23 minutes when he turned Tyreke Wilson left and right before firing into the far corner from close range.
Shelbourne were toothless and rarely threatened Brian Maher’s goal throughout. And when Danny Mullen turned the ball home from close range after a searching pass from Will Patching, it was all over with 15 minutes to go.
That was Derry’s 50th goal of the season in all competitions and Mullen is responsible for a fifth of those.
Derry march into the semi-finals while Damien Duff’s troops will have sole focus on their league title challenge.
Whether this result and the manner of defeat gives Derry a psychological edge over the Tolka Park outfit remains to be seen but certainly Ruaidhri Higgins’ side will get a huge boost from a dominant display.
There was a warm embrace between the two managers as Duff waited for Higgins at the end of the tunnel prior to kick-off – certainly no signs of any bad blood after their touchline tiff at the end of the stalemate at Tolka Park last month.
This first meeting in the cup since Derry’s 4-0 victory in the final at the Aviva back in 2022 was a much more open affair than the three previous meetings between the teams.
Paul McMullan, making his 50th start for Derry, dispossessed Harry Wood on the right wing and slotted it through to Will Patching who fired high and wide of the target with two minutes on the clock.
It was a lively opening and Paddy Barrett tried to test Brian Maher from a 30 yard free kick, struck low towards the net but the City keeper gathered at the second attempt.
At the other end Duffy crossed low towards the near post where Mullen got enough on the ball to steer it into the path of Sadou Diallo but the midfielder’s strike from 12 yards went the wrong side of the post on eight minutes.
McMullan ran at the Shels defence on 18 minutes but his eventual tame toe-poke was saved comfortably by Conor Kearns.
Derry hit the front on 23 minutes after a move which started with the energetic Adam O’Reilly who did brilliantly to overturn possession inside his own half.
The Cork man raced into the Shels half and his pass forward was dummied cleverly by Mullen into the path of Patching who swept the ball towards Duffy. The City winger turned Tyreke Wilson before firing into the far corner for his seventh goal of the season.
It was only the 10th occasion this season in all competitions Derry scored a first half goal!
McMullan played a searching pass for Mullen to chase inside the box and the Scottish striker took a touch to round Kearns before his shot was cleared off the line by Shane Griffin.
Derry came so close to doubling their lead on 58 minutes when McMullan slotted the ball through the legs of Kameron Ledwidge into the feet of Ronan Boyce inside the Shels penalty area. The City right-back crossed first time into the six yard box but Mullen’s deft header went wide of the far post.
It was a let-off for the Dubliners but it didn’t take long for Derry to break their resolve again.
McMullan sent Patching into space and the Englishman sent an inviting pass across the face of goal and Mullen was on hand to slot home for his 10th goal of the season.
Shels were on the ropes and Derry sub Pat Hoban came so close to finding the bottom corner with a neat flick with his heel after brilliant work from McMullan.
Fellow sub Patrick McEleney skimmed an effort just wide of the target moments later as Derry looked to turn the screw.
The City skipper tested Keanrns with six minutes to go with a curling free-kick from 25 yards but the Shels keeper was equal to it.
Shelbourne were running out of ideas and eventually out of time as Derry did a professional job on the visitors to put their name in the hat for the next round.
Derry City: B. Maher; A. Wisdom, M. Connolly, C. Coll, B. Doherty (R. Boyce 41); S. Diallo (P. McEleney 66), A. O’Reilly, W. Patching (J. Davenport 86); P. McMullan, D. Mullen (P. Hoban 66), M. Duffy.
Shelbourne: C. Kearns; K. Ledwidge, P. Barrett, S. Griffin (Tulloch 62), T. Wilson; M. Smith (S. Boyd 61), M. Coyle, A. Coote (Caffrey 73), J. O’Sullivan (Burt 73), H. Wood (S. Bone 61); A. O’Brien.
Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin).