Derry City - 1 Shamrock Rovers - 0: A Gary Beckett strike in the 66th minute saw Derry City progress to the semi-finals of the FAI Cup following this slender defeat of Shamrock Rovers at a wet and breezy Brandywell on Saturday night.

And it was a victory the home side thoroughly deserved having dominated the scoring chances during a game which was destroyed by the swirling wind.

Beckett poked the ball home following a corner. Killian Brennan played the ball short to Alan Murphy and when he drilled it low into the Rovers penalty area, Beckett was on hand to force it home from eight yards.

The victory, therefore, sees Derry move another step closer to equalling their historic 1989 season when winning the then League of Ireland treble.

Indeed, it's been a good week for the Foyleside club having already secured the League Cup trophy the previous Tuesday night when defeating UCD at Belfield Park.

"It's been a very busy week for us and it says quite a lot about the players after consecutive victories at Dalymount Park and Belfield where we won the League Cup.

"And to have progressed to the semi-final stages of the FAI Cup against Shamrock Rovers makes it a great return from three potentially difficult games," said a delighted Stephen Kenny.

"I felt we did enough to win this game. We didn't play particularly well but I felt we did enough in the difficult conditions and I think we created the better chances," he added.

"The priority was to get through to the semi-final and now that that's been achieved we can now concentrate on the league and we look forward to the visit of Shelbourne to the Brandywell next Friday night," he added.

For Rovers manager Roddy Collins, it was a night of mixed emotions, the Dubliner sent-off by the referee on the stroke of half-time following a verbal altercation with the game's fourth official. When asked why he was ordered from the dugout, Collins said: "I moved outside the technical area on a few occasions to communicate with the players. The fourth official then made contact with the referee and that was that."

But the Rovers boss had no problems with the result. "Derry are a very good side, they are very well organised. They've won the League Cup and lead the league with Cork. Therefore, we came here attempting to spoil the game and while the players battled really well and showed great character, we were unhinged by a training ground move and I've no problem with that.

"If we can show the same character and battle over the remaining league games we will be alright, but it's going to be difficult as we have a very small squad," he concluded.

DERRY CITY: Forde; Deery, Hutton, Delaney, Hargan; McCourt (McGlynn, 86 mins.) Murphy (Martyn, 89 mins.), Molloy, Brennan; Farren (O'Flynn, 79 mins.), Beckett.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; Shelley, Foley, McDonnell, Doyle; McDonagh, Tracey, Rutherford; Quigley (O'Connor, 81 mins.), Sheridan (Roche, 81 mins.), Molloy.

Referee : A Buttimer (Cork).