FAI Carlsberg Cup semi-final
Cork City 1 Derry City 0
Round-up: Just when it looked like the tie was heading for a replay, Cork City scored a penalty two minutes into injury time to secure a place in December's FAI Carlsberg Cup final at Lansdowne Road.
This game between the country's two form teams - who are level on points at the top of the eircom League - failed to live up to its billing but the pitch conditions at Turners Cross did not help.
The Republic of Ireland under-19s played on the same surface last night as heavy rain fell and tonight's game only survived following two FAI pitch inspections earlier today.
With the pitch cutting up as badly as it did, neither side could play flowing football and a more direct approach was adopted by the teams.
Both sides, though, we not without their chances.
In the first half, both Denis Behan and George O'Callaghan had chances to score while Derry defender Peter Hutton - who turned in a man-of-the-match performance - went close with a number of headers from set pieces.
Derry appeared to cope better with the conditions in the second half and retained the ball well. But when Cork did steal a march up field, they threatened and O'Callaghan, more often that not, proved the Derry tormentor.
But neither side could break the deadlock and, as the game petered into injury-time, a replay looked most likely.
However, Derry were stunned when Cork won a penalty. Substitute striker Neale Fenn collected a deep free in the Derry box but was upended by former Cork player Stephen O'Flynn.
O'Callaghan stepped up and stuck the ball high into David Forde's net to secure a final meeting against either Drogheda United or Bray Wanderers - who meet on Sunday - and end Derry's remarkable 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
"Both sides deserve great credit bearing in mind the conditions tonight," Cork boss Damien Richardson said afterwards.
"I always believe that in the cup there can be a sting in the tail. I'm relieved as I didn't fancy a trip up to the Brandywell.
He added: "The penalty was a great pep for us and was a killer for Derry as it left them no time whatsoever to recover."