Holders Drogheda United through to FAI Cup quarter-finals after penalty shootout drama in Derry
Drogheda stunned the Brandywell with a goal less than two minutes in when Joshua Thomas raced past Adam O'Reilly into the penalty area, before pulling the ball back from the byline to Andrew Quinn, who side-footed it from close range.
Drogheda almost sealed their passage to the quarter-finals on 69 minutes when Darragh Markey's free-kick picked out Ryan Brennan, whose downward header looked in, but for a brilliant save from Brian Maher, who somehow pushed the ball away for a corner.
That was a huge moment in the tie as Derry City equalised just five minutes later.
Danny Mullen gathered the ball on the right wing and found Duffy on the edge of the area, and City's talisman shifted the ball onto his left foot before driving it ferociously into the roof of the net from 18 yards.
It was his ninth goal of the season, his first in six games, and undoubtedly his most important of them all.
Derry City had chances to win it in extra-time, but they finished the game with ten men when Ben Doherty was red-carded in the final action of an absorbing FAI Cup tie.
Derry City: Maher, O'Reilly, Bannon (Doherty 58'), Connolly, Stott, Fleming (R Boyce 58'); Diallo (L Boyce 58' (Todd 102'), Winchester; Whyte (Mullen 58'), Duffy; Akinyemi (Frizzell 93').
Drogheda United: Dennison, Kane (Cruise 97'), Quinn, Keeley, Bolger (Cooper 71'), Lambe; Brennan (O'Sullivan 97'), Farrell (Heeney 65'); Markey, Davis (Kareem 95'), Thomas (Oluwa 71').
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Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
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Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Cork City and Kerry among teams in Tuesday's FAI Cup quarter-final draw
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RTÉ News
8 hours ago
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