Galway United 1 Dundalk 4

Darren Meenan was the star man for Dundalk as they exacted revenge on Galway United and advanced to the quarter-final of the FAI Cup at Eamonn Deacy Park.

The hosts had beaten Dundalk in the EA Sports Cup semi-final earlier this month but they were outclassed and outfought on this occasion.

Top-scorer Richie Towell made it 17 for the season as he continued his marvellous run while Brian Gartland, Paddy Barrett and Seán Gannon were also on target for Dundalk.

Jake Keegan had given Galway the lead early on but they couldn’t compete with the vastly experienced league leaders.

It was 3-1 to Dundalk at half-time even though Galway took a shock lead after 10 minutes.

Keegan won possession, offloaded to Enda Curran and when Gary Shanahan swung the ball in from the right Keegan dived to head home.

But it looked like only a matter of time before Dundalk would level and Gartland pounced from a Meenan free-kick to head the equaliser unopposed.

Towell put them ahead in the 36th minute when he sneaked in behind the Galway defence and lobbed the hapless Ger Hanley.

Dundalk were on a role and another set-piece error from the Galway defence gifted Barrett the third goal two minutes from the break and Gannon rocketed the fourth in the 83rd minute.

GALWAY UNITED: Hanley; Raftery, Sinnott, Oji, Horgan; Shanahan, Byrne (McConnell, 48), O'Leary (Molloy, 86), Melody (O'Laoi, 78); Curran, Keegan.

DUNDALK: Sava; Gannon, Gartland, Barrett, Grimes; Mountney, Towell (Maguire, 83), Shields, Meenan; Byrne (Finn, 71), Kilduff (McMillan, 86).

Derry City 3 Drogheda United 0

Cillian Morrison netted his first goal for Derry City at the Brandywell in this confortable victory over Drogheda, the Letterkenny lad deservedly claiming the “man of the match” with a stunning performance.

And, if the truth be told, the visitors could so easily have been on the end of a worse hammering but for the performance of goalkeeper Michael Schlingerman.

While Mark Timlin and Barry McNamee failed to take advantage of quality scoring opportunities during the early stages, Derry’s pressure saw them deservedly break the deadlock in the 18th minute.

Cillian Morrison did well to retain possession on the right flank and the Derry wing-back’s inviting cross was superbly headed home by the well placed Patrick McEleney from 12 yards.

In the 36th minute Derry were extremely unfortunate not to have doubled their advantage.

A superb run by Timlin, who weaved his way into the danger area, ended when his low shot crashed off the butt of the post much to the relief of the visitors.

Timlin forced Schlingermann into a magnificent save just after the break, the Drogheda goalkeeper diverting the striker’s effort over his crossbar.

However, four minutes later the home side did double their lead. McEleney drilled a powerful free through the Drogheda wall before Morrison pounced to forced the ball home from close range.

Derry then confirmed their place in the last eight when McNamee drove the ball to the net after it had broken to him when Timlin had been tackled by a Drogheda defender.

And it could have been even worse for Drogheda as both Aaron McEneff and Dean Jarvis were both denied by Schlingermann.

Drogheda’s only clear-cut effort of the second half centred on an 83rd minute free-kick from substitute, Seán Brennan, whose effort was diverted over the Derry crossbar by Ger Doherty.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Cornwall, McBride, Barry; Morrison, McEneff, Lowry, McNamee, Jarvis; McEleney (Quigley, 73),Timlin (Curtis, 76).

DROGHEDA UNITED: Schlingermann; Daly, Byrne, O'Reilly, Marks; Mulvenna, Hughes, Thornton (Maher, 72), Duffy; Bayly (Brennan, 72|), McKenna (Gorman, 54).

Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).

Sheriff YC 2 Athlone Town 2

A sublime strike from John Rock earned non-league Sheriff a fully deserved replay in Lissywollen on Monday night as they twice came from behind at Clontarf Astro.

First Division Athlone were ahead on 12 minutes when Daniel Purdy’s through pass put Philly Gorman in to slide the ball beyond Sheriff captain Lee Murphy.

But poor defending was clinically punished to present Sheriff with their equaliser eight minute later.

Kevin Lynch crossed from the left for the negligently marked Stewart Glen to head home from just yards out.

Greatly encouraged by that, Sheriff pressed for the remainder of the first half with Athlone goalkeeper Paddy Dunican having to make good stops from Mark Higgins and Lynch either side of right back Joe Flood bouncing a header over the visitors’ crossbar.

Sheriff remained the better side in the second half, with Dunican saving well again from Thomas Dunne, only to fall behind once more on 58 minute.

Gorman got his second of the game when sending Murphy the wrong way from the penalty spot after David Browne pulled down Thomas Mulroney.

But Sheriff hit back with the strike of the game from striker Rock who found the net with a stunning volley on the hour.

SHERIFF YC: L Murphy; Flood, Kavanagh, Browne; Lester; Higgins, D Dunne, T Dunne, Lynch; Rock, Glen (S Murphy, 87).

ATHLONE TOWN: Dunican; Friel, C Dunne, Collins (O'Donnell, h/t), S Dunne; O'Neill (Doyle, 31), Mulroney, Boyne, O'Connor; Gorman, Purdy.

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).

Tolka Rovers 0 Killester United 4

Killester United advanced into the quarter-finals by seeing off a depleted Tolka Rovers at Frank Cooke Park.

First-half goals from David Lacey and Alan Talbot set the visitors on their way, with another apiece from the duo after the break solidifying a comprehensive victory.

Both these Leinster Senior League sides had taken First Division scalps in the second round but Tolka’s side featured just one player to have started that win over Waterford United back in May.

Upheaval has since engulfed what is considered one of the most stable amateur clubs in the country, with their manager Paul Doyle and 14 players quitting during the summer.

Last night’s test represented a gallant effort by a group of players previously on the fringes with the club’s reserve and schoolboy teams but they were second best on the night against a well-oiled machine.

After Tolka goalkeeper Paul Tancred had denied Lacey with a string of saves early on, he has helpless to prevent him supplying the opener from close range on the half hour.

Rampant Killester added a second from a flowing move five minutes later. Mark Ryan sent Lacey clear and his lay-off was superbly finished by Talbot with a low shot from eight yards.

Any hopes of a young Tolka side mounting a comeback after the break were killed off within eight minutes. Once again, Lacey was first to react to a corner kick in a crowded penalty area and bundled the ball over the line.

His strike partner Talbot also completed the tie with his brace, dribbling in from the left and around Tancred with 10 minutes left before tapping in the fourth.

TOLKA ROVERS: Tancred; Eccles, Henderson, Dunne, Lynch (Lewis 46); Valentine (McGarry 46), McGuinness, Drew, O'Toole, Flaherty; Murphy (Evans 78).

KILLESTER UTD: Donoghue; Rogers, Mathews, McCormack, Hand; McKay (Browning 64), Ryan, Chambers, Kavanagh (Farrell 73); Talbot (O'Driscoll 80), Lacey.

Referee: Brian Tracey.