Derry City 2 Cobh Ramblers 1:Derry City qualified for the Setanta Cup after defeating new First Division champions Cobh Ramblers at the Brandywell last night but the victory could have come at a cost.
Paddy McCourt, Derry's star winger, sustained what appeared a bad injury in the second half. Before the injury the 23-year-old put on the style in the 16th minute to give his side the vital breakthrough.
Having received possession from Eddie McCallion, he left defender Michael Mulconry in his wake, before finding the net from an acute angle.
However, McCourt had to be stretchered off in the second half after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge.
Derry doubled their lead in the 27th minute when a Mark Farren corner was flicked on by McCourt and Sean Hargan diverted the ball home off his chest.
Cobh pulled one back in the 62nd minute when their top scorer David O'Neill produced a superb strike which found its way high into the net from 20 yards.
DERRY CITY:Jennings; Deery, Hutton, McCallion, Hargan; McGlynn (Harkin 92 mins), Molloy, Martyn, McCourt (Higgins 53 mins); McHugh, Farren.
COBH RAMBLERS:McCarthy; Mulconry, Murray, Guthrie, J Meade; Cambridge (Coleman, 69 mins), Barrett, Kearney (King 76 mins), O'Neill; Cummins (C Meade 53 mins), O'Reilly.
Referee: T Connolly (Dublin).