FAI Cup semi-final replay: Derry City 2-0 Shamrock Rovers

7 October 2014

Late goals by Michael Duffy and Rory Patterson gave Derry City a 2-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in Tuesday's FAI Cup semi-final replay.

Rovers were reduced to 10 men on 64 minutes when experienced defender Jason McGuinness was sent-off.

Derry got the breakthrough in the 88th minute when Duffy got to the ball first to flick past keeper Barry Murphy.

Patterson, who had earlier missed a penalty, blasted into the roof of the net in stoppage-time to make it 2-0.

Derry will play Dublin club St Patrick's Athletic in a repeat of the 2012 final in the the Aviva Stadium showpiece on 2 November.

Semi-final facts
Derry will be playing in the final of the League of Ireland's main cup competition for the 10th time
The last two times Derry won the cup they beat St Pat's in the final - 2006 and 2012
City striker Rory Patterson has five Northern Ireland caps
Rovers manager Pat Fenlon was Derry City boss for five months in 2007
It is 27 years since Shamrock Rovers last won the FAI Cup

It was a dramatic end to a game which had looked to be heading for extra-time.

Like Sunday's first encounter at Rovers' Tallaght Stadium, the Brandywell replay was a cagey, cautious affair in the opening exchanges.

Derry looked more positive after the interval and they had a great chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty.

McGuinness was the guilty party as he impeded City defender Ryan McBride and was dismissed for a second yellow card offence.

Patterson took the penalty but saw his kick strike the base of an upright.

Derry kept pressing and Philip Lowry's shot from the edge of the penalty box hit the post.

The deadlock was finally broken as extra-time loomed when Duffy netted his 16th goal of the season.

Just a few minutes later the impressive Stephen Dooley set up former Northern Ireland striker Rory Patterson who fired in Derry's second goal.

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