Bray Wanderers confirmed their place in the quarter-finals of the League Cup along with Shelbourne despite losing 2-1 in their Group F match with Bohemians at Dalymount Park yesterday. Cork City and Cobh Ramblers in Group A and Dundalk and Drogheda United from Group D can join them if they can contrive draws in their respective final group matches against each other tomorrow night. That would leave all four on seven points with qualification assured as the group winners and two best runners-up go through.
Cork yesterday inflicted a second 5-0 defeat in three matches on Waterford United while Dundalk beat Longford Town 4-1 on Saturday night.
Elsewhere, Finn Harps are in the driving seat in the north-west Group B and will win it if they beat Fanad United on Wednesday. Harps ended one of the longest running records in the domestic game when they came from behind to beat Derry City 21 at the Brandywell on Saturday night. It was the first time in 12 years, and after 29 meetings, that Harps had beaten Derry in a competitive match since.
Gary Beckett had rewarded Derry's incessant first-half pressure with a goal six minutes before half-time. But Derry were caught twice from set piece goals from Harps' new signing Sammy Johnston.
Dundalk all but secured a quarter-final berth from Group D with a resounding 4-1 defeat of Longford Town at Strokestown Road on Saturday night. Brian Byrne scored twice with Mick Doohan and Rodney Mackin adding further goals.
Goals from John Caulfield, a stunning strike from Brian Barry Murphy, Mark Herrick, new signing Jason Kabiya and John Cotter yesterday kept Cork City well on course at Turner's Cross as they trounced Waterford.
Limerick also hit five with a hat-trick from former schoolboy international, Jason O'Connor, and a brace from Howie King to beat Mervue United 5-1 at Hogan Park.
Home Farm must wait to see if they've made the quarter-finals after yesterday's convincing 3-0 defeat of fellow First Division side St Francis at Whitehall. Karl Gannon scored twice in 10 minutes either side of the interval with John Coady scoring the third from a 61st minute penalty.
Martin Reilly's audaciously chipped goal two minutes from injury time earned St Patrick's Athletic a 1-1 draw at Belfield, though to little avail to either side. UCD had lead from a much disputed 37th minute penalty scored by Robert Griffin.