Derry down Dublin minnows at second attempt

Derry City 2 Bluebell United 1

Goals late in each half from Rory Patterson and Barry McNamee ended Dublin non-league side Bluebell United's FAI Ford Cup dream at the Brandywell.

Having held them scoreless at the same venue last Friday night, Bluebell made holders Derry work all the way for their passage through to a quarter-final tie away to Sligo Rovers on the weekending September 15th.

Derry dominated from the off before a small crowd but struggled to create chances early on.

Former Northern Ireland international Patterson was their chief foil, wasting the first real opportunity on 20 minutes when scuffing his shot wide after Dean Jarvis put him through on goal.

Two more chances were missed by Patterson before Bluebell 'keeper Andy McNulty made the save of the match to turn a shot from Mark Griffin round a post with one hand on 33 minutes.

Derry deservedly took the lead three minutes later. Patterson worked a neat one-two with man-of-the-match McNamee to finally beat McNulty when drilling low to the corner of the net.

A post deprived Patterson of a second goal ten minutes after half-time prior to Bluebell's first real chance when Peter Sherlock powered a header from a Robert Douglas free kick just over the bar.

McNamee then punished a defensive mistake to sidefoot home Derry's matchwinning second goal on 83 minutes.

It was just as well, as Sherlock provided a nervous finish for the Premier Division side when pulling a goal back in the first minute of added them following an error by Jarvis.