FAI CUP: Galway United 2; Derry City 1: Alan Murphy added to his growing reputation as one of the country's top strikers with a brace of goals, the winner a late penalty, as Galway United dumped holders Derry out of the FAI Cup to put themselves into this evening's quarter-final draw.
With the game looking set for a replay going into the last six minutes, a fortuitous break of the ball from Michael Holt's attempted clearance put Barry Moran though on the Derry goal. Moran's shot came back off a post and Paddy McLaughlin, who had earlier won a penalty to give Derry the lead, pulled down Murphy. Murphy, who had scored a fine equaliser, kept his head to blast home the spot kick.
Having survived two missed chances by Adrian Carberry and Murphy, Derry were all but gifted the lead goal on nine minutes. Galway goalkeeper Robbie Forde fumbled a cross from Gary Beckett and Mike Quirke tripped McLaughlin as they raced onto the loose ball. Holt drove home the penalty.
Derry goalkeeper Alan Gough had to make a superb one-handed save from Moran before he was beaten by a well worked goal on 16 minutes. Murphy played a one-two with Colin Fortune to run through and drill a low shot past Gough.
Galway had a glorious chance on 69 minutes when Folan's cross wasn't cleared and Holt had to head Murphy's chip off the line. Derry then missed two gilt-edged openings. Coyle dragged his shot wide before Quirke had to head off the line from McLaughlin's header from a Beckett corner.
GALWAY UNITED: Forde; Harty, Frawley (Geraghty, 72 mins), Keady, Quirke, Folan, Fortune, Fitzgerald (Ronaldson, 76 mins), Carberry, Folan, Moran, Murphy.
DERRY CITY: Gough; E McCallion, McChrystal (Moran, 87 mins), McLaughlin, Hargan, Hutton, Doherty, Martyn, Friars (Coyle, half-time), Holt, Beckett.
Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).
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