Galway Utd - 0 Derry - 1: Derry City gained cup revenge over Galway United at Terryland Park last night following their defeat at this venue last season.
While striker Alan Murphy failed to shine against his former team-mates, the 22-year-old will be happy in the knowledge that the Premier Division side had progressed in the competition.
While it was far from pretty, the visitors were deserving winners of the contest and the first division side were certainly not helped by the sending-off of young striker Barry Moran, four minutes from the end.
Fielding without skipper Eamon Doherty, who was suspended, Derry City grabbed the perfect start after 11 minutes when Gareth McGlynn broke the deadlock.
A flowing move on the left saw Ciarán Martyn play a fine pass to Seán Hargan and while his shot crashed off the upright with keeper Alan Gough beaten, McGlynn was in the right place at the right time to hit the target.
The visitors should have doubled their lead in the 21st minute when a Davy Byrne pass dropped perfectly into the path of Damien Brennan but the full-back blasted the ball over the crossbar.
Galway forced Derry goalkeeper Ciarán Kelly into action on the half hour when Derek O'Brien shot from 25 yards, the Sligo man diving to his left to divert the shot wide of his goal.
Galway grew in confidence as the match progressed and they were presented with a superb chance to equalise in the 39th minute.
O'Brien floated a free into the danger area and while Barry Moran rose well on the edge of the six-yard area, his header was directed over the bar.
The home side actually finished the first half on the offensive but they failed to beat a well- marshalled Derry City back four.
Gary Beckett replaced Michael Holt after 62 minutes and his first involvement almost brought the Derry side a second goal.
Combining with Hargan, the pair worked the ball up the left flank and when Hargan found Byrne in space, the midfielder smashed his low shot off the Galway post from 25 yards out.
Galway hit back almost immediately and it was a timely tackle by Paddy McLaughlin on Moran which saved Derry's blushes after the Galway striker had worked his way through.
It got worse for Galway four minutes from the end when Moran was sent off.
The Galway striker was involved in an off-the-ball incident with Byrne and while referee Alan Kelly did not see it, one of his assistants brought the matter to his attention. Moran had already been booked in the 27th minute.
In the 92nd minute Martyn very nearly doubled Derry's lead. Beckett broke clear on the right and his inch-perfect pass found his midfield colleague but, from eight yards, Martyn send the ball high over the crossbar.
GALWAY UNITED: Gough; Harty, Keady, Frawley, Quirke; O'Brien (Curran, 88 mins), Fortune (Goldby, 74 mins), Herrick, Casey; Moran, Dupuy.
DERRY CITY: Kelly; Brennan, Delaney, McLaughlin, McCallion; McGlynn (Gill, 88 mins), Byrne, Martyn, Holt (Beckett, 62 mins); Murphy, Hargan.
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
