Drogheda United v Derry City: The road to the FAI Cup Final

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Derry City reached the FAI Cup showpiece following a semi-final win over Bohemians Credit: Eddie Lennon (ETPhotos)

Come Sunday evening the FAI Cup will be on its way up the M1, but whether it is heading to Drogheda or Derry has yet to be discovered.

The Boynesiders last lifted the Cup in 2005 when defeating Cork City 2-0 in front of 24,521 spectators at the old Lansdowne Road venue. 

Derry, however, claimed the FAI Cup in 2022 with a thumping 4-0 triumph over Shelbourne at the Aviva Stadium. A win on Sunday would mean they have won a second cup in three years under boss Ruaidhri Higgins.

And while nobody knows how the showpiece will play out, we do at least know how both sides reached the decider that is set to be played in front of a crowd of 40,000 spectators in Dublin 4. 

Tom O'Connor takes you through the sides respective routes to the Aviva..

Round of 32: 

Drogheda United 2 - 1 Dundalk

Having lost 4-2 to Dundalk the previous week, Drogheda United head coach Kevin Doherty reshuffled his pack and gave a number of starting debuts in a reshaped wingback formation which had served them successfully in the past.

Goalkeeper Luke Dennison and defender James Bolger lined out for the first time in Claret and Blue with ex Galway United Academy player Bolger scoring the opener. 

Warren Davis then netted a second with a quarter of an hour remaining. Dundalk’s Bobby Faulkner did pull a goal back in the dying embers but the Drogs held on.



Derry City 3 - 0 St Patrick’s Athletic

At the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, former City boss Stephen Kenny’s saw his side survive a missed Will Patching penalty before a trio of second half strikes - Danny Mullen twice and Michael Duffy with the other - saw the Candystripes comfortably into the next round. 

It was an important victory less than a week after City exited Europe in a disappointing manner against Gibraltar minnows Bruno's Magpies.

Round of 16: 



Drogheda United 9 - 0 Wilton United

At Weavers Park, Drogheda United knocked Munster Senior League side Wilton United out with a 9-0 victory.

Douglas James-Taylor and Bridel Bosakani netted a hat trick each while the margin of victory allowed Doherty to make changes, including 45 minutes for defender Aaron Harper Bailey who could be in contention to start in Sunday’s final.

Ryan Brennan, Andrew Quinn and Frantz Pierrot were the other goalscorers on the night.

Cork City 0 - 1 Derry City

At Turner's Cross it was a much tighter affair with runaway First Division leaders Cork City giving a starting second debut to the returning Seánie Maguire.

Derry City also travelled south on the back of a draw with a Dundalk outfit struggling at the foot of the Premier Division table.

The home side had a number of chances, a couple falling to Maguire, but Maher’s goal remained intact- other attempts included a Cathal O’Sullivan effort ruled offside and a superb goal line clearance from Ciarán Coll.

Buoyed by these reprieves, the visitors found the net themselves as Ben Doherty’s corner was  headed to the net by Sam Todd on the defender’s last appearance for the club before joining Larne on loan.

Further chances fell to both sides but ultimately it was Higgins’ men who marched on to the quarter finals.

Quarter Finals:

Athlone Town 1 - 4 Drogheda United

Despite First Division outfit Athlone fighting for promotion at the top of the table and United languishing towards the bottom of the Premier table, the top tier outfit swatted their hosts away quite convincingly. 

James-Taylor netted twice before Ryan Brennan grabbed a third just past the hour mark.

Adam Foley made it four on the night ahead of a Jack Keaney red card and a late Dean Ebbe penalty, reducing the margin to three with just minutes remaining on the clock.

Derry City 2 - 0 Shelbourne

The next day, two challengers for the Premier Division title went head to head at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium as table topping Shelbourne arrived on the Long Moor Road.

The hosts made the breakthrough in the 23rd minute as Michael Duffy stepped in off his left wing to fire an effort beyond Conor Kearns- the winger’s second goal in the competition after his strike in the earlier round against St Pat’s.

Damien Duff made a trio of substitutions just past the hour mark in an effort to find an equaliser but City grabbed a second within minutes as Danny Mullen converted a clever Will Patching pass to put the game beyond the Tolka Park outfit.

Now, with four teams remaining in the competition, it was Drogheda United who claimed home advantage against Wexford for a Sunday afternoon televised encounter on October 6th while Dalymount Park was the venue two days previous with Bohemians hosting Derry City.

Semi Finals: 

Bohemians 0 - 2 Derry City 

Friday’s all Premier Division encounter saw Bohemians Head Coach Alan Reynolds, now in charge of Bohemians, come up against his former side.

With time ticking towards the interval and a goalless first half in sight, up stepped Michael Duffy to curl a fabulous free kick beyond Kacper Chorazka in the home goal to open the scoring.

The 30-year-old, who was part of the Candystripes panel which won the FAI Cup in 2012, found the net once again in the second half as his low effort skidded beyond Chorazka to seal the win and steer CIty to a second final in three years.

Drogheda United 3 - 2 Wexford

There was nothing as comfortable for Sunday’s hosts as the Weavers Park crowd witnessed a ding dong encounter which ultimately went the way of the Louth men. 

Drogheda suffered an early setback with the withdrawal of talismanic forward Pierrot just past the half hour mark with Balbriggan’s Adam Foley his replacement.

Their hopes of making the final took another blow a few moments later as Wexford’s Aaron Dobbs thumped in an opener just before the break after Mikie Rowe’s effort was blocked.

Similar predatory instincts were displayed by Foley as he deflected Andy Quinn’s cross shot to the net to restore parity just past the hour mark before his strike partner James-Taylor nodded a Darragh Markey corner to the net to give the home side the lead.

Not to be outdone however, Wexford’s Dobbs bundled home an equaliser two minutes later to send the game into extra time.

Or so we thought, but deep into additional time a long throw from Elicha Ahui was nodded across the six yard box where Foley hooked the ball to the net to send his team into the FAI Cup Final for the first time in over a decade.

About Tom O'Connor

Dundalk based reporter following the league since Monaghan United’s goalless draw against Athlone Town in 1996. Special interest in education and underage football. Shortlisted for the 2018 FAI Communications Award for series on Life beyond … View Full Profile