Sligo Rovers and Derry City will have to meet again on Tuesday night in The Brandywell following a scoreless draw this afternoon in The Showgrounds.

Sligo Rovers 0 - 0 Derry City
Sunday 29 October 2006, The Showgrounds
Att 5,100
Carlsberg Man of the Match: John O’Hara
Match Sponsor Ladbrokes

After an even first half during which Rovers had the lion’s share of chances, the Candystripes dominated for all of a nerve-racking second half but were denied by a man of the match performance from John O’Hara, who was more than ably assisted by his ten team-mates.

Hopefully the closest Rovers fans come to seeing the FAI Cup trophy this season won’t be through the window of the RTE studio in The Showgrounds as they face a replay in the Derry cauldron that has not been a happy hunting ground of late. But this is the cup. League form is out the window, and it’s all too play for.
 
With a full squad to choose from Sligo Rovers manager, Sean Connor chose to go with Northern Ireland under 21 international Chris Turner at left back, relegating Keith Foy to the bench.

The Candystripes were similarly able to field their first eleven with the exception of Darren Kelly who was out injured.

It only took thirty seconds for the game to burst into life when Mansaram set-up his striking partner Paul McTiernan and McTiernan fired an effort from on thirty yards, that crashed off the crossbar with Forde beaten.

As the teams tried to settle, it was seven minutes before the next shot in anger, Kudozovic almost scoring directly with an inswinging corner forcing Forde to bend back to pluck it from under the bar.

Local man Ciaran Martyn in the black of Derry showed his mettle early on, breaking forward on a number of occasions without managing to hit the target.
 
On the quarter hour with the ball bobbing aimlessly, Conor O’Grady headed into space into the path of McTiernan who half volley goalward, forcing Forde to push it out for a corner.

Moments later Derry had the best chance of the early exchanges when Farren headed down to McGlynn who had lost his marker but he side-footed into O’Hara’s arms from inside the six yard box.

After a lull in proceedings, the Bit O’Red came to life on the half hour when a Turner free on the left in front of the west stand caught the wind and swung goalward forcing the ‘keeper to push over.

Derry countered immediately, Pat McCourt failing to hit the target after a diagonal run into the box at the Shed end.

Five minutes later the Candystripes broke again, this time Farren getting behind the defence, but a brilliantly timed challenge by Peers averted the danger.

The pressure continued by the visitors when Pat McCourt found his legs, weaved in on the left and blasted a shot on target, but John O’Hara finger- tipped it over the bar.

The second half began lively with Derry taking advantage of a home side that seemed to be suffering from stage fright as they struggled to get into top gear.
 
The visitors looked odds to go ahead after fifty minutes when Farren beat the offside trap, latching on to a long ball from defence, rounded the ‘keeper and shot towards the unguarded open net, but captain Michael McNamara was on hand stretching back to guide the ball into the side-neeting.

On the hour mark, John O’Hara parried wide a Peter Hutton headed at the back post from a McGlynn free-kick. The pressure mounted on Rovers as Derry had a series of six consecutive corners but the Bit O’Red’s dogged back five were equal to the challenge.

As the clocked ticked on Rovers came back into a bit, driven from the back and O’Grady’s example in the middle. Kudozovic and Singh were attempting to make waves down the flanks with the former having the best chance without troubling Forde.

Derry didn’t buckle though and with ten minutes to go, John O’Hara was in action again with another acrobatic save keeping Molloy’s lobbed effort from twenty yards over the bar.

Minutes later, Ciaran Martyn found himself on the ground with the ball at his feet but Rovers scrambled it off his toes for a corner. Martyn was involved again coming minutes later, raiding down the left side of the box before pulling it back to O’Flynn, but once more, O’Hara was equal to the challenge.

Just when it looked like the game was heading to the replay, Darren Mansaram picked up the ball in midfield playing into the path of Kudozovic with only seconds on the clock. The Bosnian weaved his magic for one last time, putting Mansaram through in the box, but Forde got down low to deny Mansaram the glory and Rovers the victory.

Replay is on Tuesday night (31 Oct), at 9pm, in The Brandywell.
 
Teams

Sligo Rovers
John O’Hara, Gavin Peers, Chris Turner, Michael McNamara (Jamie McKenzie 83 mins), Liam Burns, Conor O’Grady, Adam Huges, Fahrudin Kudozovic, Paul McTiernan, Darren Mansaram, Harpal Singh

Subs not used: Keith Foy, Gary Curran, Richard Brush (GK), Sean Kelly, Seamus Coleman, Choice Aisien

Bookings: Conor O’Grady

Derry City
David Forde, Eddie McCallion, Sean Hargan, Peter Hutton, Ciaran Martyn, Ken Oman, Barry Molloy, Mark Farren (Kevin McHugh), Gary Beckett, Pat McCourt (Stephen O’Flynn 67 mins), Gareth McGlynn (Kevin Deery 75 mins)

Subs not used: Pat Jennings (GK), Shaun Holmes, , Clive Delaney,  ,Ruairdhi Higgins

Bookings: Ciaran Martyn

Officials
Referee:   Alan Kelly
Assistant Referee D McGrath
Assistant Referee G Kelly
Fourth Official  A Buttimer

by Paraic Casey