DERRY CITY last night installed themselves as red-hot favourites to win the FAI Cup.
A decade since their last success in the competition, they saw off 10-man Shamrock Rovers in extra-time - and could even afford a first-half Will Patching miss from the penalty spot.
In the end, it was two former Hoops players who scored the crucial goals to send the Candystripes into the last-four along with Shelbourne and First Division outfits Waterford and Treaty United.
Daniel Lafferty and Brandon Kavanagh both arrived on the Bogside from Tallaght Stadium - and it was their finishes inside the additional 30 minutes that proved the difference.
The night wasn’t without controversy. Rovers were out on their feet in extra-time, having played since the 38th minute with 10 men.
Lee Grace’s contentious dismissal will be chewed over by Rovers fans in the days and weeks to come.
But it came in a half that Derry dominated - and with Ruaidhri Higgins’ men already ahead through Jamie McGonigle’s 19th minute header.
That incident sent the home fans on a rollercoaster of emotions.
There were loud groans from the Brandywell faithful as Mark Connolly opted against a first-time shot and instead controlled Cameron McJannet’s back-post cross.
But they quickly turned to cheers as the former Dundee United man lifted the ball up to McGonigle, whose header dropped inside the left-hand upright.
What a moment to end an eight-game goal drought.
McGonigle’s new-found confidence was evident as, four minutes later, he helped build an attack on the left, before spraying the ball 25 yards infield towards Cameron Dummigan.
He blindsided Jack Byrne with his run forward, took one touch and produced a shot from distance that bounced off the top of Leon Pohls’ crossbar.
Derry dominated and sluggish Rovers struggled to match their intensity.
And even though the decision by referee Rob Hennessy to award the hosts a 38th minute penalty was highly debatable, it was one of many examples of Rovers being off the pace in the opening period.
Stephen Bradley won’t be happy with the officiating - and the decision to send off Grace - but equally he will be frustrated with the simplicity of Derry’s route into the area.
It was no more than a route one punt downfield by goalkeeper Brian Maher, one that bounced over the visiting defenders and into the path of Patrick McEleney.
There appeared to be a coming together between McEleney and Grace, with the Brandywell star going to ground all too easily.
But Hennessy was convinced that Grace was the aggressor and he was quick to wave his red card in the face of the disbelieving defender.
Rovers were handed a lifeline when Patching’s spot-kick hit almost the same part of the crossbar as Dummigan’s earlier effort.
But a goal down and a man down, and forced into taking off striker Aaron Greene for defensive midfielder Gary O’Neill, the odds were still stacked very much against them.
They needed someone to aggressively take the game to City after the break.
That man was right-wing-back Neil Farrugia. Very much subdued in the first-half, the former UCD man was electrifying from early on in the second.
He declared his intentions with a couple of runs deep into Derry territory shortly after the restart.
Byrne too was looking much sharper and his lofted pass on 57 minutes invited Gaffney to drive goalwards from a tight angle. His shot was gathered by Maher.
But it was Farrugia’s energy that finally brought the two sides back to parity in the 66th minute.
He skipped past two challenges on the left, raised his head and picked out Byrne with a low pull-back.
The midfielder’s shot was parried by Maher, but only into the path of Gaffney, who drilled the ball into the net from close range.
Gaffney’s goal was enough to take the game to extra-time, a period where Derry finally began to reassert their numerical advantage 10-man Rovers.
It took the hosts just six minutes to regain the lead when substitute Lafferty rose above O’Neill and headed home from a Michael Duffy corner.
Just three yards from goal, Lafferty might have expected a challenge from Hoops goalkeeper Pohls, but the German opted to remain on his line.
The result was put beyond doubt 10 minutes from the end when sub Kavanagh raced onto James Akintunde’s pass, cut in from the right and fired low inside the near post.
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