Derry City 4-0 Shelbourne
Hello, and welcome to this afternoon’s liveblog.
We’re in for what should be an interesting encounter as Damien Duff’s Shelbourne face Ruaidhrí Higgins’ Derry City.
Derry go into the game as favourites having finished five places above Shels in the table as they claimed second spot.
However, the Dublin side have frequently punched above their weight this season and are well capable of pulling off an upset.
Kick-off for the match is at 3pm.
Confirmation of the two teams below…
π CUP FINAL TEAM π
— Derry City FC (@derrycityfc) November 13, 2022
Best of luck boys!! π€
KO 3pm. Live on RTΓ2 and RTΓ Player.
π΄βͺ #RAWA28 pic.twitter.com/JoqrZtrwE6
ππππ¦ πππ°π¬
— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) November 13, 2022
Hereβs your ππππ¨ ππ to face Derry City in the FAI Cup final
Kick-off is at 3pm, itβs live on @RTE2 #DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/NE4j10cPiV
Who do you think will win?
Poll Results:
Both these sides are looking to end fairly lengthy cup droughts by their high standards.
2000 is the last time Shels prevailed, while Derry have not tasted glory since 2012.
It would Derry’s sixth time winning while Shels are hoping to triumph for the eighth occasion.
Shamrock Rovers are still comfortably the most successful FAI Cup side ever, winning 25 trophies during their history.
The fans are in fine voice here at the Aviva
One end of the ground has a section of supporters with at least 20 flares and smoke everywhere.
We’re underway…
Chance straight away for Derry.
Jamie McGonigle runs through on goal, but Brendan Clarke gets down well to save his low shot.
Derry are dominating the possession and look more threatening so far.
They also have the majority of the crowd behind them by the sounds of it.
Clarke has to tip away McEleney’s free kick for a corner.
Duffy’s shot from the ensuing set piece is deflected away for another corner.
They then proceed to win two more corners.
Suffice it to say, this is a decent spell of pressure from Derry.
Shelbourne, by contrast, have been content to sit back and play on the counter-attack.
Derry 1-0 Shelbourne (McGonigle 19)
Derry opens the scoring with a brilliant goal.
Patrick McEleney plays a superb crossfield pass to Ryan Graydon. He takes a touch before crossing to McGonigle, who makes no mistake with a clinical finish.
Derry are very much in the ascendancy now.
Shane Griffin gets booked for taking down Graydon, who’s started very well, as the attacker sprints towards goal.
Here’s a look at that well-worked opening goal…
GOAL - DERRY CITY - 18'
— RTΓ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 13, 2022
Jamie McGonigle finishes beautifully into the corner, after a brilliant take down and cross from Ryan Graydon
β¨οΈ Updates: https://t.co/rjEOqnMdKS
πΊ Watch: https://t.co/Xi7cV6M409 #RTESoccer pic.twitter.com/RGDBBcxd2h
Derry 2-0 Shelbourne (McJannet 35)
Derry get in behind the Shels defence again.
Duffy’s low cross is only directed into the path of the onrushing McJannet, who converts an easy finish.
It’s a long way back from here for Shelbourne.
As I type, the lively Graydon beats his man to go through on goal but blazes a good opportunity over.
As excellent as Derry have been, it’s been a disappointing performance from Shelbourne so far.
They’ve offered very little in attack and look vulnerable defensively on both flanks.
Unsurprisingly, Damien Duff is very animated on the sideline.
Here’s a look at the second goal…
GOAL - DERRY CITY - 35'
— RTΓ Sport (@RTEsport) November 13, 2022
Cameron McJannett reacts quickest to double The Candystripes' lead against Shelbourne
β¨οΈ Updates: https://t.co/1MtRvQr9R2
πΊ Watch: https://t.co/lLKXNhKPkF #RTESoccer pic.twitter.com/F8tALQpdS8
HALF-TIME: DERRY CITY 2-0 SHELBOURNE
So half-time and the scoreline accurately reflects Derry’s superiority.
The Candystripes have played most of the football and exposed their opponents with some fine play in the final third.
Shelbourne have tried to sit back and hit their rivals on the counter but just can’t deal with Derry’s attacking players’ pace, movement, and quality, while star man Sean Boyd has cut an isolated figure up top.
Damien Duff’s men will need a significant improvement in the second half to avoid defeat.
The Candytripes, meanwhile, are well on course to end their 10-year wait to win the FAI Cup and first major trophy under Ruaidhrí Higgins.
One change for Shelbourne at the break.
Shane Farrell is off and Brian McManus is on.
The second half has begun…
Not much of note has happened since the break.
It looks like to be a different pattern in the second half — Shelbourne are now pressing very high up, while Derry appear relatively content to hold onto what they have.
Derry go close again!
A hopeful long ball is only half cleared and it falls for McGonigle, whose looping header lands on the roof of the net.
Derry 3-0 Shelbourne (McJannet 61)
A corner is played in and it ricochets off the leg of an unmarked McJannet and goes into the net.
It’s not the prettiest or most orthodox goal you’ll ever see, but Derry won’t be complaining.
Moments later, Duffy almost scores a spectacular goal, as his shot from outside the area hits the crossbar.
Shels then respond by making a change — Kameron Ledwidge replaces Aodh Dervin.
Derry have simply been the far better of the two teams today.
They might as well start putting their name on the trophy now, as a miraculous Shelbourne comeback is looking increasingly unlikely.
Here’s a look at the third goal…
GOAL - DERRY CITY - 61'
— RTΓ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 13, 2022
Cameron McJannett guides a cross from a corner to the net and the FAI Cup will surely be heading to the banks of the Foyle this evening
β¨οΈ Updates: https://t.co/rjEOqo4mZ0
πΊ Watch: https://t.co/Xi7cV6v0Y9 #RTESoccer pic.twitter.com/KhLpIKnlyI
Another Shelbourne substitution now.
Gavin Molloy is replaced by Mark Coyle.
Now it’s Derry’s turn to make a change.
Goalscorer Jamie McGonigle is replaced by James Akintunde.
There are a couple of injuries that have slowed the game down in recent minutes.
It’s starting to peter out anyway, with both sides ostensibly accepting the outcome.
There could be trouble here, as a couple of flares have been thrown onto the pitch.
One narrowly missed Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher.
Two more Derry changes now.
Joe Thomson replaces Ryan Graydon and Ciaran Coll is on for Shane McEleney.
32,412 has been announced as the official attendance.
That’s a little under 5,000 less than last year but still better than most finals in the last decade.
More Derry changes.
Jordan McEneff and Brandon Kavanagh are on, while Will Patching and Michael Duffy go off.
Penalty to Derry!
Jordan McEneff with his first touches bursts onto a loose pass and is brought down by Luke Byrne who gets booked as a result.
Derry City 4-0 Shelbourne (McEneff 90)
An immediate impact from McEneff.
He puts the penalty down the middle with the goalkeeper diving to the left.
FULL-TIME: DERRY CITY 4-0 SHELBOURNE
So that’s that.
A thoroughly deserved win for Derry City, who were far superior on the day.
Shelbourne could barely lay a glove on their opponents and scarcely threatened to launch a comeback.
Man-of-the-match Cameron McJannet, Michael Duffy, Jamie McGonigle and Patrick McEleney were among the standout players as the Candystripes controlled proceedings for virtually the entire 90 minutes.
Ruaidhrí Higgins will be delighted to win his first major trophy at Derry and will surely see this victory as a potential launching pad for even greater days to come.
Damien Duff, meanwhile, will not be happy at how out-of-sorts, toothless and defensively vulnerable his team looked today, but can at least look back on an encouraging debut season as a League of Ireland manager in which his side exceeded expectations to comfortably avoid relegation and get to a cup final.
Right, that’s all from me for now.
We’ll have plenty more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
