Derry City 2
Treaty United 1
DERRY CITY ENDED an eight-year wait to book their place in this year’s FAI Cup Final after edging out First Division outfit Treaty United at a packed Brandywell.
The five-time winners of the competition were huge favourites to reach the showpiece at the Aviva and they threatened to be out of sight with two goals in seven first-half minutes.
Jamie McGonigle clinically fired Derry into an eighth-minute lead after superb work from skipper Patrick McEleney.
Brandon Kavanagh doubled the lead on 15 minutes as he headed home from Cameron McJannet’s pinpoint cross.
It looked ominous for Treaty but Derry took their foot off the gas and it was far from plain-sailing.
Cameron Dummigan brought down Jack Lynch inside the box for a stonewall penalty decision on the half-hour mark. And ex-City striker Enda Curran coolly slotted home the spotkick to make a game of it.
Derry had chances to end the game as a contest in the second half, but Treaty keeper Jack Brady made several big saves.
The home side finished strongly to secure their place in the 13 November showpiece in Dublin as their search for a first major trophy in 10 years continues.
Declan Glass, who netted a hat-trick in Derry’s first round hammering of Oliver Bond, was handed his first start since 12 August. The Scotsman came in to replace the suspended Will Patching.
McGonigle, who scored in the 3-1 win over Finn Harps last weekend came in to replace James Akintunde while skipper Patrick McEleney came in for Ronan Boyce.
The packed attendance impeccably observed a poignant minute’s silence prior to kick-off for the 10 people who tragically lost their lives in the Creeslough explosion last Friday. Both managers, Ruaidhri Higgins and Tommy Barrett walked towards the flagpole at the Brandywell Road end of the ground to lay a wreath on behalf of the two clubs.
Derry made a blistering start to the tie. After just three minutes, McEleney clipped in a ball into the penalty area where Brandon Kavanagh drifted into space but just as he was about to unleash his shot, Ludden made a timely intervention to turn in behind for a corner.
Treaty United striker Enda Curran latched onto the ball 40 yards from the Derry goal. Spotting Brian Maher off his line the Galweigan tried his luck but the City keeper wasn’t troubled.
There were eight minutes on the clock when Derry pounced. Patrick McEleney broke through the Treaty defence before cutting the ball back to McGonigle who finished clinically with his first touch.
It was McGonigle’s third goal in his last four games and his third in the cup so far having scored against both OIiver Bond and Shamrock Rovers.
Brandon Kavanagh linked up well with Michael Duffy on the left two minutes later but the midfielder’s curling effort from the edge of the box bounced off the roof of the net.
McGonigle was in behind the visiting defence moments later but dragged his shot across the face of goal and wide.
Derry doubled their lead on 15 minutes when Cameron McJannet crossed superbly from the left and the ball flicked off the head of a Treaty defender before falling perfectly for Kavanagh who headed firmly into the net from eight yards.
It could’ve been worse for the First Division outfit when McEleney’s cross was headed downward and narrowly wide of the post by Glass on 25 minutes.
Treaty were thrown a lifeline on 29 miunbutes when Dummigan clipped the heels of Jack Lynch inside the Derry penalty area and there was no hesitatuion from referee Neil Doyle who pointed to the spot.
Up stepped ex-City striker Curran who continued his hot streak when firing his spotkick down the middle of the goal.
Dummigan almost made amends instantly with a wonderful cross into the six yard but McGonigle somehow headed over the bar.
Glass had an opportunity to restore Derry’s two goal cushion 10 minutes into the second half when Kavanagh found him brilliantly 10 yards from goal but his side footed effort was bravely headed behind by Sean Guerins.
Treaty keeper, Jack Brady then turned Cameron McJannet’s strike at the near post behind the post as City began to turn the screw.
Sub Ryan Graydon’s miscued strike on the volley almost caught the Treaty keeper out at his near post but he managed to punch it behind the post.
McGonigle then came so close on 62 minutes when McEleney found him inside the Treaty box with a wonderful cross but the striker headed narrowly over.
It was a nervy ending for the home side and William Ardshaw had a great chance on the counter to find an equaliser as he raced clear of Shane McEleney but fired just over the bar with two minutes to go.
Derry sub, Joe Thomson then swivelled inside the Treatry box before drilling his right footed shot wide.
Duffy then rifled a shot from an angle into the side netting in the final minute of normal time.
Four additional minutes were signalled by the fourth official and Brady needed to make a big save with his outstretched foot to deny McEleney.
It mattered little as the full-time whistle went and Derry advanced to their first FAI Cup final since 2014.
Derry City: B. Maher: C. Dummigan, S. McEleney, M. Connolly, C. McJannet; B. Kavanagh (J. Thomson 81), S. Diallo, P. McEleney, M. Duffy, D. Glass (R. Graydon 58), J. McGonigle (C. Kavanagh 69): Subs not Used – J. Lemoignan, R. Boyce, C. Coll, J. Akintunde, J. McEneff, D. Lafferty.
Treaty United: J. Brady; M. Ludden, S. Guerins, C. McNamara, S. Christopher (F. Doherty 86), L. Devitt, W. Armshaw, B. O’Riordan, M. Walsh, J. Lynch (M. Keane 75), E. Curran; Subs Not Used – C. Winn, J. Cody, J. Collins, D. Collins, M. Coughlan, Conroy, Quinlivan.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).