The trusty boot of Michael Duffy guided Derry City into the FAI Cup final to keep alive the dream of a league and Cup double, as he claimed both goals in a clinical semi-final dismissal of Bohemians.
The home side may point to two key decisions which went against them in the first half, a dubious call to award a free kick which led to City’s opening goal and then the non-awarding of a penalty which could have levelled things.
But, in truth, Bohs deserved nothing from this game, the poverty of their delivery summed up in the fact that, across 90 minutes in a season-defining game played at home, they failed to muster up a single attempt on goal. The glum faces which greeted the Bohs players as they trudged towards the dressing room on the final whistle were a taste of what’s to come in the remainder of a very forgettable season when they best they can hope for is to finish outside the relegation zone.
Derry now march on to the final next month where they face the winners of Sunday’s tie between Drogheda United and Wexford and while the double will be difficult, they can now at least aim to finish the season with a trophy.
If the neutrals had been spoiled by the quality of Monday’s televised game between Shelbourne and St Patrick’s Athletic, this semi-final tested the attention levels and endurance of those fans not directly involved as, until Duffy opened the scoring just before half time, it was grim stuff.
With so much at stake, tension was inevitable but both sides seemed to be playing within themselves, more concerned about making a mistake than playing a killer pass or taking a risk. Dayle Rooney and Pat Hoban traded half chances in the early phase of the half, but around the half-hour mark Derry began to take control with good efforts from Adam O’Reilly and Duffy.
Bohs suffered a blow when right back Liam Smith was forced to leave the action on 36 minutes and his replacement Paddy Kirk, a recognised left back, played a role in the goal. Sloppy play at the back by Jevon Mills caused Kirk to challenge Duffy with referee Paul McLaughlin awarding a foul, much to the disapproval of Bohs’ players and supporters. Duffy stepped up, spotted Kacper Chorazka off balance and whipped in a superb shot for the breakthrough goal.
Bohs looked for a response and had a claim for a penalty when Mark Connolly appeared to haul back Alex Greive in the box but the referee waved play on.
City should have been 2-0 up five minutes into the second half when Patrick McEleney, on his 350th appearance for the club, played in Paul McMullen and he did the hard bit by beating his marker but his shot was off target.
Bohs reshuffled for the last half hour with a tactical switch and men called from the bench. Kirk moved out to left back but there was no real change in the pattern of the game with Bohs limp in attack and unconvincing at the back.
And they were punished again on 72 minutes when McEleney nicked the ball to Duffy, who advanced on goal and his shot took a bounce off the turf to confuse Chorazka who could only look on as the ball sailed into the net.
Bohs hoped for an opening with 10 minutes remaining but a free kick on the edge of the box was wasted as Jordan Flores drilled that effort into the wall while McMullen squandered another opportunity late on.
Derry saw out the game in comfort and Duffy was denied a hat-trick in injury time when Chorazka saved. Then came the added bonus with the news that that Dundalk had taken points off Galway United, one of Derry’s rivals in that tight race for Europe and the title. A good night all round for the away fans while for the home club it was more a case of the Dalymount morgue than the Dalymount roar.
Bohemians – Chorazka; Smith (Kirk, 36), Mills (Miller 60), Byrne, Flores; Devoy, McDonnell (Piszczek 76); Rooney (Meekison 76), Tierney, Grant; Greive (Clarke 60).
Derry City – Maher; Boyce, Connolly, Wisdom; McMullen (S McEleney 92), Diallo (Whelan 92), O’Reilly, Doherty; Duffy, P McEleney (Davenport 78); Hoban (Mullen 83).
Referee – Paul McLaughlin