Drogheda United 2-2 Derry City
Referee Derek Tomney was centre of attention at United Park as he sent off three Drogheda players – but the brave Boynesiders held out for a well-deserved replay in this controversial FAI Cup quarter-final.
The Candystripes were quicker out of the blocks and Ryan McBride fired them into a 13th-minute lead, only for Alan McNally to reply for Drogheda on 19 against the run of play.
Peter McGlynn saw red for the Boynesiders just after the half-hour for a late tackle on Dean Jarvis, and Shane Grimes followed suit on 47, apparently for dissent, but Michael Daly then headed Drogheda 2-1 ahead.
Philip Lowry hammered home on 84 minutes to save Derry’s blushes, but Drogheda lost another man two minutes from time when Gavan Holohan was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Derry boss Peter Hutton fielded his strongest possible side, with nine changes from the one humbled 5-0 by Dundalk on Monday, and the Candystripes were clearly up for this contest as they pummelled Drogheda from the first whistle.
Derry boss Peter Hutton fielded his strongest possible side, with nine changes from the one humbled 5-0 by Dundalk on Monday, and the Candystripes were clearly up for this contest as they pummelled Drogheda from the first whistle.
Michael Duffy was unlucky to have a ninth-minute effort ruled out for offside and Rory Patterson then fired against the butt of the post, and it was no surprise when the 2012 Cup winners broke the deadlock on 13 minutes.
Patrick McEleney’s corner kick wasn’t dealt with by the Drogheda defence and Derry centre-half McBride expertly swivelled 18 yards out and fired a crisp low shot beyond Micheal Schlingermann.
The Drogheda keeper then took two attempts to deal with a Duffy piledriver from 30 yards, but against the run of play Damien Richardson’s charges hauled themselves level on 23 minutes.
Gavan Holohan’s corner was met superbly by the head of McNally, and although Stephen Dooley blocked the ball on the line the Drogheda centre-half followed up to score at the second attempt.
Now Derry were on the back foot and it took a superb block by Barry McNamee to keep out McGlynn’s goal-bound effort in the 29th minute.
At that stage the tie looked destined to be a thriller, but two minutes later McGlynn was sent off for an early bath by referee Tomney on a straight red card following a rash challenge on Dean Jarvis, and the remainder of the first half was a scrappy affair as Drogheda took a more defensive approach.
The controversy and drama was only beginning, though, as the home side were reduced to nine men two minutes into the second period. Captain Grimes got a straight red from Mr Tomney, apparently for dissent.
Remarkably, the home side were in front two minutes later, Daly popping up in the box to head home Holohan’s free kick.
A stunned Derry tried to hit back quickly, but Patterson blasted high and wide and both he and Duffy were brilliantly denied by Schlingermann in quick succession.
Drogheda took off lone striker Gary O’Neill with 18 minutes left in the hope of holding out, but after missing a hatful of chances Derry finally drew level on 84 when Lowry blasted home through a crowd of players.
The Boynesiders would have gladly taken a draw at that stage, but there was further drama two minutes from time as Holohan kicked the ball away after controversially having a free kick awarded against him.
Having already been booked, referee Tomney sent him off for a second bookable offence, but somehow the eight men held out for a replay next Tuesday in The Brandywell.
Drogheda United: Schlingermann; Doyle, McNally, McGuigan, Grimes; McGlynn, Daly, Holohan, Maher, Walshe; O’Neill.
Derry City: Doherty; Dooley (Timlin 80), McBride, Barry, Jarvis (Tracey 80); McEleney, Lowry, Molloy, McNamee, Duffy; Patterson.
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin)
