Shamrock Rovers 1-1 Derry City
The drive for 25 must wait for Shamrock Rovers as they were held at home in the FAI Cup semi-final by Derry after Dean Kelly’s strike was cancelled out by Rory Patterson three minutes from time.
Rovers sub Kelly thought he had won it for the Hoops in the 78th minute only for Patterson to equalise late on.
Derry City started the brighter with Michael Duffy and Patterson combining well. The pair were a thorn in the side of a resilient Rovers back line.
Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Barry Murphy was called into action early on as Derry’s Duffy got a shot away but the Rovers keeper was quick to palm the shot over.
Rovers got their first chance of the game after 10 minutes when lone striker Karl Sheppard got on the end of a Sean O’Connor cross but he couldn’t direct it to the net.
The away side then took the initiative and began to control proceedings. Patterson had the better of the chances but he couldn’t put the Foylesiders ahead.
Rovers did have a decent opening on the half-hour mark when the marauding Simon Madden put a fabulous ball into the box but Aaron Barry did enough to put off striker Karl Sheppard.
The impressive Simon Madden was having a lot of joy down the home side’s right-hand side and just before the break Ronan Finn got in behind the Derry back four but experienced defender Ryan McBride stopped the ball reaching the oncoming Sheppard.
Rovers began the second half the brighter - within seconds of the restart Finn and Ryan Brennan both created wonderful chances but the front men couldn’t convert.
The deadlock persisted as the game drew on, with both defences impressing.
The home side were creating the better of the chances in the second half and nearly went ahead in the last quarter when a cracking cross was sent in by Madden but again the Rovers attack was too slow to get onto the ball.
Patient Rovers finally got their reward through sub Kelly in the 78th minute. A whipped-in cross from Madden made it’s way through the legs of the Derry back four to find Kelly, who slotted home to send Tallaght Stadium wild.
The celebrations were short-lived however as a Mark Timlin corner found Patterson in the box, who held off Conor Kenna long enough to head home the 87th-minute equaliser.
Michael Duffy had a glorious chance to win the game in injury-time, after great work from Patterson but Murphy saved brilliantly, meaning the sides must do it all again in the Brandywell on Tuesday evening.
Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, Jason McGuinness, David O’Connor; Stephen McPhail, Patrick Cregg, Ryan Brennan (Kieran Marty Waters, 74); Sean O’Connor (Gary McCabe, 85), Ronan Finn; Karl Sheppard (Dean Kelly, 62).
Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Barry Molloy, Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry, Dean Jarvis; Stephen Dooley (Mark Timlin, 74), Michael Duffy, Barry Mcnamee, Patrick McEleney, Philip Lowry; Rory Patterson.
Referee: Neil Doyle
