FAI Ford Cup semi-final replay: Shelbourne 0 Derry City 3
Classy City shock Shels
From Daire Walsh at Tolka Park
GOALS in either half from man-of-the-match Stephen McLaughlin proved decisive in Tolka Park last night, as Derry City saw off the challenge of Shelbourne at the second time of asking to qualify for the FAI Ford Cup Final for the first time in four years.
Although there was only three days between this replay and the drawn encounter, both Alan Mathews and Declan Devine decided against making wholesale changes, with Shels opting for an unchanged line-up. The only change in personnel for Derry was Barry McNamee replacing Rory Patterson in a
slightly re-jigged formation.
In term of possession, Shels had the lion’s share of the play early on, but it wasn’t until the 22nd minutes that they threatened the Candystripes’ rearguard when Kevin Dawson shot wide of the right-hand post with a scuffed attempt from a Paddy Kavanagh pull-back.
Derry were doing their best to make an impact on the counter attack and McLaughlin headed over from a Simon Madden cross three minutes later, but Shels continued to force their opponents on the back-foot. Gerard Doherty had to be at his very best to save a bullet header by Stephen Paisley from a David Cassidy corner on the half-hour mark.
Derry found themselves under serious pressure at the half moved on and they were extremely lucky to see Kevin Dawson’s strike from a tight angle come back off the inside of the post before going out for a corner off the back of Doherty.
Shels had their own let-off soon after, though, as Patrick McEleney’s stunning drive from an awkward position on the left came crashing off the upright.
This would turn out to be a sign of things to come as Derry finished the half in devastating fashion when a pin-point delivery from right-back Madden was turned home clinically by the alert McLaughlin.
As the second half developed, Shels continued to dominate proceedings in the middle third of the pitch, even if they weren’t pressing the Candystripes to the same extent as they were before the break.
There was a feeling among the enthusiastic home support that they would rue passing up the opportunities they had in the opening period. The decisive score of the contest would arrive on 62
minutes when McLaughlin cut in from the right-wing, and unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the Shels net, beating Bennion all ends up.
The Drumcondra men seemed somewhat shell-shocked to find themselves 2-0 down with less than
half an hour to go. They fell even further behind four minutes later when front man David McDaid beat the offside trap from a long kick forward and rounded Bennion to finish into an empty net.
This third goal effectively killed off the game as a contest. Although Shels did their best to get some sort of consolation, it was City who came closest to scoring again when substitute Ruaidhri Higgins lashed over from the edge of the box.
Derry can now set their sights of reclaiming a cup they last won in 2006, when they were also up against their opponents in this year’s decider, St Patrick’s Athletic.
MATCH STATS
Shelbourne: Bennion; Ryan, Boyle, Paisley, S Byrne; Cassidy (C Byrne 83), Dawson, Cronin, Kavanagh; Hughes, P Byrne (Gorman 67).
Subs not used: Shortall, Skinner, Clancy, Hurley, Murphy.
Derry City: Doherty; Madden, Greacen, S McEleney, McCaffrey; P McEleney, Deery (Brolly 86), Molloy, McLaughlin; McNamee (Higgins 68); McDaid.
Subs not used: Ferry, Patterson, McBride, Farren, Curran.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).