Drogheda stun limp Derry to claim famous FAI Cup final win

But in terms of achievements across what was a remarkable and drama-filled season, the Dublin 4 heist pulled off by Drogheda boss Kevin Doherty and his players will be remembered as one of the standout moments of the year, Drogheda more than deserving of the FAI Cup and, with it, a place in Europe for next season.

A goal in each half, the first a set-piece finished off by defender Andrew Quinn and the second a penalty from Douglas James-Taylor, were the key moments of a game played in front of a crowd of 38,723. It’s a fact that Derry played most of the game without captain and talisman Patrick McEleney, who was forced off late in the first half after suffering a facial injury in a clash of heads with fellow veteran Ryan Brennan, but that’s not why Derry lost, as Drogheda were superior in every area, not just the scoreline.

Derry’s squad had men who had played in the Premier League, were double winners, been in international squads and played dozens of games in Europe while the Drogheda panel had more humble backgrounds. But it was those lesser lights, such as tireless worker Shane Farrell, veteran Brennan, the impressive Elicha Ahui and the sublime Darragh Markey who stood tall. This was a day when Drogheda’s strikeforce of Frantz Pierrot and James-Taylor had a relatively quiet day but it didn’t matter as the efforts of those outfield, and ’keeper Luke Dennison when needed, was better than anything a limp Derry had to offer.

The sight of Drogheda native Brennan, swathed in a bandage after that clash of heads, dashing to the United fans clutching his jersey showed how much this meant, Brennan claiming his first major trophy at the age of 32.

It was a tame end, Drogheda with the game effectively won 11 minutes into the second half, but there was a delayed start to events in Dublin 4 as a batch of flares lit at the Drogheda United end alarmed match referee Rob Harvey to the extent that he refused to allow the game to kick-off before all flares had been extinguished.

That slow start seemed to infect the 22 players on the field as the opening exchanges were a non-event, turgid stuff offered up to the Dublin sporting public just two days after a similarly grim affair at the same venue in another code.

It took until the 27th minute to spark into life, Derry finally getting a breakthrough when a fine through ball from Ronan Boyce fell for Paul McMullan, at the second attempt his cross came to compatriot Danny Mullen but Luke Dennison saved his backheeled effort, and Dennison was needed again four minutes later to deny Sadou Diallo.

Drogheda seemed to revel in their underdog status, absorbing that spell of pressure and then making it count when they had their first opportunity. Diallo’s foul on Frantz Pierrot led to a free kick, Shane Farrell – seeking redemption in the cup on a personal level after a horror show in the Shelbourne jersey on this stage in 2022 – swung in his delivery and defender Quinn managed to outwit the more experienced Mark Connolly to stab home, his first goal in three months.

Derry offered little in response, bar one moment when Quinn snuffed out the threat from Adam O’Reilly, and City’s plans suffered a major blow when Patrick McEleney had to leave the action just before half time. With one change forced on them, Derry made two more early in the second half, after a tame start to the half, with Colm Whelan and Sean Robertson thrown on for the ineffective Mullen and McMullan, but within seconds of that switch, it was game over as Drogheda doubled their lead.

Full-back Boyce was guilty of a clumsy tackle on Conor Kane, ref Harvey pointed to the spot, and United’s mid-season signing from parent club, Walsall, stepped up to drill home his sixth FAI Cup goal of the season. Derry looked down and out, any remaining confidence snatched away by that second goal and there was one last desperate throw of the dice from Ruaidhrí Higgins on 65 minutes when top scorer Patrick Hoban, not fit to start due to a hamstring injury, was called from the bench to try and rescue something.

There was no rescue mission, no Derry revival as City offered nothing, bar a scramble around the Drogheda goal on 71 minutes, when Connolly and Whelan tried to get on the end of Michael Duffy’s corner kick, but Dennison smothered the danger. An awful free kick from a good position by Duffy on 81 minutes – it went straight into the wall and away to safety – summed up everything about Derry who were off colour, off form, off the pace.

City prepared for the long, slow march back home while Drogheda await Saturday’s relegation play-off, European football guaranteed for next year even if their Premier Division status is not.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison; Quinn, Webster, Bolger; Ahui, Farrell (Heeney 73), Brennan (Deegan 90) , Kane; Markey; James-Taylor, Pierrot (Foley 68).

DERRY CITY: Maher; Boyce, S McEleney, Connolly, Wisdom (Davenport 82); O’Reilly, Diallo; McMullan (Robertson 56), P McEleney (Patching 44), Duffy; Mullen (Whelan 56).

REF: R Harvey.