David Parkhouse on the double as Derry City progress to EA Sports Cup semi-finals

Derry City 2 Finn Harps 1 (AET)
Derry City striker, David Parkhouse netted a brace against Finn Harps to see Derry into the semi-finals,Derry City striker, David Parkhouse netted a brace against Finn Harps to see Derry into the semi-finals,
Derry City striker, David Parkhouse netted a brace against Finn Harps to see Derry into the semi-finals,

DAVID Parkhouse netted an extra-time winner to see off 10 man Finn Harps and send EA Sports Cup holders, Derry City into the semi-finals after a dramatic clash at Brandywell.

The striker scored twice as the Candy Stripes came back from a 55th minute Nathan Boyle strike to secure their place in the next round where Bohemians, Waterford and Dundalk await in the draw.

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It was the second successive season Derry knocked their derby rivals out of the competition as Parkhouse made it four goals in three games against the Co. Donegal men this season with goals in the 83rd and 94th minutes.

The Ballybofey men had taken the lead 10 minutes into the second half as Boyle fired home clinically from 12 yards.

Derry pressed for an equaliser and it arrived seven minutes from time as Parkhouse steered Ciaran Coll's superb cross past Harps keeper, Mark Anthony McGinley.

Four minutes into extra-time Parkhouse added a second when he beat the Harps keeper to Gerardo Bruna's long ball, controlled it beautifully and placed his shot into the empty net.

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Ciaran Harkin and ex-Harps skipper, Ciaran Coll both cleared off the line in the closing stages of the opening half of extra-time as Harps looked for a way back into the tie while City keeper, Nathan Gartside blocked Caolan McAleer's close range effort onto the crossbar to keep Derry in the driving seat.

Harps substitute, Mark Coyle then was shown a second yellow card with five minutes of the tie remaining as Harps challenge fizzled out and Derry progressed into the last four.

Three days after their one-sided 4-0 league win over Harps, Declan Devine made just three changes with goalkeeper, Nathan Gartside, Aidy Delap and Ally Gilchrist handed starting berths. Peter Cherrie and Eoin Toal dropped to the bench while Greg Sloggett missed out.

For Harps, Ollie Horgan made six changes with Mark Anthony-McGinley, Nathan Boyle, Mikey Place, Liam Walsh, Stephen Doherty and Niall Logue all getting the nod.

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It was Harps who started brightest, opting with two up front in an attacking 4-4-2 formation. It certainly proved to be a much more competitive contest with Harps clearly intent on making up for their lacklustre display on their last visit to Foyleside.

And the Ballybofey men had muted claims for a penalty on four minutes when a long throw-in from Colm Deasy was flicked on by Daniel O'Reilly before it bounced off the ground and hit the hand of Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe inside the penalty area, however, the referee was unimpressed.

From McAleer's inswinging corner kick, Harps centre half Keith Cowan powered his header narrowly over the bar as Harps started positively.

Derry were handed a promising chance on 10 minutes as Barry McNamee sent his free-kick into the danger area and Gilchrist's glancing header went just wide of the far post.

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Derry's hat-trick hero on Friday night, Ciaron Harkin came so close to firing the home side spectacularly into the lead on 16 minutes when he volleyed wide with McGinley scrambling to cover the corner of his net.

During a promising spell for the Candy Stripes, Jamie McDonagh's blistering strike from wide on the right went narrowly over McGinley's crossbar.

McNamee cut open the Harps' defence with a terrific pass into the feet of Ogedi-Uzokwe who skipped past his marker but with the goal at his mercy he opted to cut it back towards Parkhouse and Cowan managed to snuff out the danger.

From a quick break Delap raced into the penalty area and cut the ball back towards Harkin who had time to take a touch but his curled effort from 10 yards was tipped over by the fingertips of McGinley.

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From the resultant corner, McNamee's pacy delivery found Coll but his downward header went just wide of the left hand post as another chance went begging for City.

Argentine midfielder, Bruna then curled a terrific free-kick onto the roof of the net as the home side began the second half with urgency.

The game was delayed for several minutes as the assistant referee left the pitch for a toilet break. And when the match resumed Harps hit Derry on their counter and after good work from Colm Deasy, ex-Derry City striker, Boyle fired low past Gartside from 12 yards to give the visitors the lead nine minutes into the second period.

With Derry chasing the game McAleer hit on the counter and left Josh Kerr trailing but his shot was blocked and eventually Gartside mopped up the danger.

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The home side finally found the equaliser with seven minutes on the clock when Coll's outstanding delivery from wide on the left found Parkhouse who side-footed the ball home from close range.

The fourth official signalled five additional minutes but neither side could find the breakthrough as the tie went into extra-time.

Four minutes into extra-time Bruna sent Parkhouse clean through with a long ball over the top and he beat the out-rushing McGinley in the race for the ball before placing it into the empty net.

City keeper, Gartside spilled McAleer's free-kick in a crowded penalty area and the ball came to Cowan whose shot was blocked on the line by Harkin,

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Ex-Harps skipper, Coll needed to react quickly to clear Place's close range header off the line with Gartside beaten three minutes before the end of the first half of extra-time.

McAleer had a close range strike saved onto the crossbar by Gartside as City managed to keep their slender lead intact going into the final 15 minutes.

Harps were reduced to 10 men when substitute, Coyle was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ogedi-Uzokwe with five minutes to go.

McDonagh attempted an audacious chip from a long range free-kick but McGinley managed to keep it out in the final minute but it mattered little as the ref blew for full-time and City kept alive their hopes of retaining the trophy.

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Derry City: N. Gartside; J. McDonagh, J. Kerr (C. McDermott 117), A. Gilchrist, C. Coll (J. Malone 109); A. Delap (G. Seraf 83), G. Bruna, C. Harkin, J. Ogedi-Uzokwe; B. McNamee (E. Toal 104); D. Parkhouse; Subs Not Used - P. Cherrie, E. Tweed, S. McNamee.

Finn Harps: M. Anthony McGinley; C. Deasy, K. Cowan, N. Logue, D. O'Reilly; C. McAleer, S. Todd, S. Doherty (T. McNamee 91), N. Boyle (M. Coyle 72); L. Walsh, M. Place; Subs Not Used - P. Burke, R. Cretaro, M. Russell, R. Finn, D. Elison, T. McNamee.

Referee - John McLoughlin.