Duffy's double breaks Galways hearts and sends Derry into FAI Cup Final
SWEET AS CANDY: Derry City players, from left, Cameron Dummigan, James Olayinka, Michael Duffy goalkeeper Brian Maher and Kevin dos Santos celebrate following the Club Orange Men's FAI Cup semi-final match between Galway and Derry City at Eamonn Deacy Park in Galway. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Derry City reached their third FAI Cup Final in five seasons as they overcame Galway United 2-0 in front of a raucous atmosphere in Eamonn Deacy Park.
Having won this competition as a player with Derry back in 2022, manager Mark Connolly made one change to his side that beat Galway in their last outing three weeks ago with James Clarke coming in for Tyler Smith, while Galway were unchanged from their 1-1 draw against Shelbourne last Friday with John Caulfield’s side looking to reach their first final since winning their first and only FAI Cup back in 1991.
Galway kicked off and immediately had the Derry back line under pressure with a David Hurley free-kick forcing an early save from Thomas Norcott. Derry reacted well with 14-goal Michael Duffy causing problems down the left-hand side before finding Brandon Fleming whose cross forced Hugo Pires Da Cunha into action as the Portuguese keeper palmed the ball from danger.
Both sides settled into the contest and were evenly matched for the majority of the early proceedings, Derry’s best chance coming when a Duffy cross found Darragh Burns at the back post but his header could only find the side netting. The Candystripes gradually took control forcing another key save from a Duffy free-kick, and continued piling on the pressure as the Galway defence had to throw their bodies on the line on multiple occasions to keep the scores level.
Derry could smell blood as tensions began to mount in Deacy Park, and on 26 minutes they found it. A ball from Adam O’Reilly found Burns on the right-hand side, his cross meeting the head of Clarke to force a brilliant goal-line block by Wasiri Williams only for the rebound to fall to Duffy who headed into the back of the net to send the away end into ruptures.
Galway needed a response and they almost had one, club legend Stephen Walsh playing a ball through to captain Jimmy Keohane who struck a thunderous shot to force a brilliant one-handed save from Norcott. The Tribesmen visibly pushed higher as Caulfield urged his side forward in an attempt to get back in the game, but Derry again showed their ruthlessness on the brink of half-time when Ellis Chapman broke on the counter and played a pinpoint pass into the path of Duffy who made no mistake to slot the ball past Da Cunha to double his tally and give his side a 2-0 lead heading into half-time.
Caulfield introduced Ed McCarthy and Francely Lomboto as Galway looked to keep their cup final ambitions alive, and it was the latter who almost made an instant impact as he went one-on-one with Norcott but the Derry keeper did well to snuff out the danger. The home side were rejuvenated in the early stages and almost capitalised on a Norcott error when he spilled the ball into the path of Frantz Pierrot but the Haitian forward’s effort sailed harmlessly over the bar.
The game ebbed on, Derry seemingly happy to deal with the Galway threat as the Tribesmen worked tirelessly to get back in the game. The home side enjoyed the majority of possession but just lacked that final ball to truly trouble Norcott in goal. As Caulfield emptied his bench and the game entered the final stages, the goal Galway so desperately yearned for just wouldn’t come as Mark Connolly’s side held on to seal their place in the FAI Cup Final and set up a mouthwatering clash with Waterford at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday 8th November.
Da Cunha, Williams, Facchineri, O’Connor (Wolfe 72’), Barratt (McCarthy 45’), Bolger, Keohane (Connolly 88’), Hurley, Devitt, Twardek (Lomboto 45’), Walsh (Pierrot 64’).
Norcott; Dummigan, Stott, McLean, Fleming, Twisk, O’Reilly, Burns (Olayinka 77’, Smith 91), Duffy, Clarke (Barr 88’), Chapman.
Paul Norton
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