Finn Harps 0 Derry City 1:FAI Cup holders Derry City booked their place in the last eight, but they had to battle all the way before overcoming near neighbours Finn Harps before a crowd of over 4,500 at Finn Park on Saturday.

Harps went into the game on the back of a 13 match unbeaten run in Division One and an upset was a distinct possibility. Derry boss John Robertson was delighted and relieved at the outcome. "We knew it was going to be a tough game. Harps played some good football and no Premier Division team would have wanted a game like this. But we made a chance count and for all their play, they really only forced Pat Jennings into making one particularly good save."

His counterpart, Paul Hegarty - who was Stephen Kenny's right-hand man when Derry captured the trophy last season - was bitterly disappointed. "We deserved a draw at the very least," he declared. "With such a big crowd and such a great atmosphere, there was always the danger we might freeze, but we showed we had the character for the big occasion. Over the 90 minutes we were in no way inferior."

A ninth-minute header from Ken Oman, who met a Peter Hutton free, ultimately divided the sides. Harps's best chance fell to Declan Divin on 59 minutes but he failed to find the target from inside the box.

FINN HARPS: Gallagher, Roddy, Minnock, McLaughlin, Holmes, Shields, O'Loughlin, McGowan, Parkhouse, Gethins, Divin. Subs: Funston for O'Loughlin (56 mins), Brown for Roddy (88 mins).

DERRY CITY: Jennings, McCallion, Hargan, Hutton, Oman, McCourt, Deery, Martyn, Morrow, McHugh, Brennan. Subs: McCafferty for Martyn and McChrystal for Hargan (both 66 mins), Farren for McHugh (80 mins).

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).