Derry leave it late to see off Drogheda
DECLAN DEVINE had no qualms about his Derry City side winning ugly at Drogheda United last night to book a place in the Extra FAI Cup quarter-final.
It took a pair of late goals from substitutes Ciaron Harkin and Stephen Mallon to avoid another spell of extra time just five days after going the distance in Lithuania resulted in a 3-2 Europa League defeat to FK Riteriai.
That would have been the least deserved by the First Division side, who created the better of the chances before Derry’s late flurry.
‘Winning ugly is something we hadn’t done enough of this year, so I’m very happy to do it after Drogheda really put it up to us,’ reflected Devine afterwards.
Tim Clancy’s promotion-chasers were particularly rueful about Brandon Bermingham’s gilt-edged chance on the hour mark being squandered.
However, they had no excuse for being caught off-guard in allowing Harkin to elude their defence and snatch the vital opener with a minute remaining.
With players piling forward in pursuit of a last-ditch equaliser, Drogs were once again unhinged three minutes into extra-time as Mallon was afforded enough time and space to beat Ross Treacy with a rising shot.
As top-flight Derry looked laboured from the outset, Mark Doyle almost punished them for failing to clear a free-kick into the box on 14 minutes.
Still, with goalkeeper Peter Cherrie beaten in the air by Jack
Tuite, Doyle could only volley the loose ball wide with the goal at his mercy.
Conor Kane also went close after a driving run from his own half, while Clancy was on his feet pleading for a penalty when Hugh Douglas was sent crashing inside the box.
Despite all that early pressure, Drogs could still have found themselves going in at the break in arrears.
Cameron McJannet, the former Stoke City centre-back, should have marked his debut with a goal on 37 minutes but managed to head over from inside the six-yard box after Adam Hammill’s corner found him unmarked.
Shortly after the restart, striker Ibrahim Meite missed another decent opportunity for the Candystripes by curling wide, but Drogs remained dangerous too. Douglas angled his header a yard wide from a corner but Bermingham came even closer when the ball fell kindly into his path from Doyle’s dribble.
The striker’s side-footer had Cherrie beaten but drifted the far side of the post.
With extra-time looming, Derry struck twice in quick succession and they had their subs to thank.
Full-back Colm Horgan, only on for the injured Darren Cole 15 minutes from the end, dashed to the end-line to cross for the onrushing Harkin to arrive on cue and slam the ball inside the near post.
Devine’s side then made sure of their place in next week’s quarterfinal draw when Meite’s sliderule pass released Mallon, whose firsttime shot from the edge of the box carried the power and accuracy to deceive Treacy.
‘We were a bit nervy, which comes after the disappointment of losing in Europe, but showed great character to get through this round,’ added the winning boss.
DROGHEDA UTD: Treacy; Brown, Prendergast, Douglas, Tuite (Lyons 65), Kane; Hyland, Hughes, O’Farrell; Bermingham (Meaney 85), Doyle.
DERRY CITY: Cherrie; Cole (Horgan 75), Toal, McJannett, Coll; McCormack, Thomson; Akintunde (Mallon 57), Dunwoody (Harkin 57), Hammill; Meite.
SCORERS: Harkin (89), Mallon (90+3).
REfEREE: Derek Tomney (Dublin).