Ryan McBride, on target for City.
A late Philip Lowry goal earned Derry a replay against eight-man Drogheda United in their FAI Cup quarter-final clash at United Park tonight.
Derry started the brighter and were lucky not to go ahead in the 11th minute when Rory Patterson, who found himself in acres of space eight yards out, smacked his shot off a post.
But the travelling Derry fans had to wait only two minutes for City to go in front.
Ryan McBride showed great composure when he got on the end of a Michael Duffy cross from a Barry McNamee short corner.
Drogheda drew level 10 minutes later when defender Alan McNally scored his first goal of the season when he was in the right place at the right time to force the ball home after a Ciaran McGuigan header was blocked on the line.
The home side were reduced to ten men in the 32nd minute when Peter McGlynn was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Dean Jarvis.
They were reduced to nine men two minutes into the second half when captain Shane Grimes was sent off for something he said to referee Derek Tomney.
Unbelievably, Drogheda took the lead five minutes later when Michael Daly got on the end of an excellent cross from Gavan Holohan to score past keeper Gerard Doherty.
The normally reliable Rory Patterson spurned the chance to bring City level when he fired high and wide after the ball fell perfectly for him 15 yards out in the 57th minute.
The home side defended brilliantly without Schlingermann being seriously tested until Philip Lowry fired home the equaliser six minutes from full-time.
Drogheda were reduced to eight men in the final minute but held on bravely for the five minutes of stoppage time to earn at replay at Brandywell on Tuesday night.
Drogheda United: Michael Schlingermann, Alan McNally, Ciaran McGuigan, Shane Grimes, Daire Doyle, Carl Walshe, Peter McGlynn, Stephen Maher (Gareth Brady 72), Gavan Holohan, Michael Daly, Gary O’Neill (Paul Crowley 72).
Unused substitutes: Adam Whithead, Declan O’Brien, Dylan Connolly, Paul Andrews.
Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Ryan McBride, Dean Jarvis (Mark Timlin 80), Stephen Dooley (Joshua Tracey 80), Aaron Barry, Philip Lowry, Michael Duffy, Patrick McEleney, Barry McNamee, Barry Molloy, Rory Patterson.
Unused substitutes: Ciaran Gallagher, Sean Houston, Ryan Curran, Nathan Boyle, Shane McEleney.
ELSEWHERE
FAI Cup quarter-finals
Shamrock Rovers 0 Dundalk 0 (full time)
St Patrick’s Athletic (Fagan 23, Brennan 49, 59) 3 Bohemians (Pender 20, Price 82) 2 (latest)
