Ten man Derry City crash out of Europe after extra time heartache

Derry City 2-1 Magpies AET

Magpies win 3-2 on aggregate

TEN MAN Derry City suffered an embarrassing exit from Europe at the hands of Gibraltar's part-timers Bruno's Magpies who earned a famous victory over the two-legged Uefa Conference League qualifier.

It was the first time the former pub-team progressed through a round in European competition in the club's history despite a 2-1 loss at Brandywell.

No Irish club has ever overturned a two goal deficit in Europe but Derry gave themselves every chance with goals from Mark Connolly and Pat Hoban.

The Candystripes were firmly in the driving seat after Connolly's 38th minute header but Adam O'Reilly was harshly shown a second yellow card by Andoran referee Antoine Paul Chiaramonti for simulation when the midfielder went down inside the box just before the break.

Hoban was furious when he had a goal ruled out on the half hour mark for a foul on a Magpies defender and then saw his overhead kick cleared off the line by Ashton Taylor in the second half of extra-time but it was Gibraltar international midfielder Evan De Haro who did the damage.

Juan Arguez's stunning strike from distance struck the underside of Derry's crossbar and De Haro pounced with the follow-up to fire Magpies into the second round where they meet Danish giants Copenhagan.

Having gone three rounds in Europe last season, it was a disappointing night for Ruaidhri Higgins' troops who must dust themselves down for Sunday's FAI Cup second round visit of St Patrick's Athletic.

Derry's Adam O'Reilly gets a red card from match referee Paul Chiaramonti.
(Image: ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty)

As expected Derry applied pressure early on and carved out two decent openings in quick succession.

Michael Duffy did well to cut back onto his right foot and swung in an inviting cross towards Hoban in the six yard box but the striker's looping header went narrowly over the bar.

Moments later Daniel Kelly crossed low from the opposite side and Hoban, with his back to goal, cushioned the ball into the path of Paul McMullan who sliced his first time strike the wrong side of the post.

McMullan did brilliantly to charge down Ronco's attempted clearance on 10 minutes, however, the Scot couldn't find Hoban and Kelly who made lung-busting runs into the penalty area and the chance was lost.

Derry didn't quite learn their lessons from the first leg but were fortunate not to concede once more from a corner kick.

Another excellent delivery from Carlos Garcia was met by Taylor who was gifted a free header which went just wide of the back post.

It was a let-off for the home side and on 24 minutes Magpies struck the outside of the post with a deft header from Javi Forjan who met Ronco's cross.

Hoban had the ball in the back of the net on the half hour mark when he out-muscled Diaz before glancing his header into the corner of the net off the foot of the post. The match referee was quick to rule the effort out, however, penalising the Derry striker for a foul on Magpies centre half.

Maher was called into action on 36 minutes when Kelly's misplaced clearance fell to the feet of Garcia and his 25 yard strike needed to be parried clear at full stretch by the City keeper.

Derry finally broke Mapgies' resolve on 37 minutes when Connolly rose highest at the back post to meet Doherty's croner head past ex-Glentoran keeper Dayle Coleing.

Just as the home side were building momentum O'Reilly was harshly shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time for simulation when he went down inside the box when challenged by Juan Arguez.

Derry were facing an uphill struggle to stay in the competition but despite their numerical disadvantage the Candystripes came out fighting in the second half.

Coleing turned McMullan's strike over the crossbar two minutes into the second half and Connolly headed over from the resultant corner.

The Brandywell men were back on terms in the tie from another corner kick as Hoban bundled in the rebound after his initial header was stopped on the line.

Patching almost caught the Magpies keeper off his line with an audacious free-kick which sailed narrowly over the crossbar with 20 minutes remaining.

At the other end Kevagn Ronco was played in behind the Derry defence but opted to square the ball to Edu Salles who missed from four yards under pressure from Kelly who did brilliantly to track his run.

Danny Mullen was introduced off the bench with 10 minutes to go and made an instant impact as he got behind his man inside the box and cut it back into the path of McMullan who somehow screwed his effort wide of the post with the goal at his mercy.

Five minutes of additional time were signalled but neither side could find an opening as the tie went to extra-time.

Mullen tried his luck with a strike from 20 yards after a neat turn to get away from his man in the only meaningful chance of the first period of extra-time.

Magpies stunned the home attendance on 111 minutes of the tie when Arguez's powerful strike from 30 yards struck the underside of the crossbar and De Haro reacted quickest to the rebound firing it past Maher.

Hoban's instinctive overhead kick from 10 yards was cleared off the line by Taylor on 116 minutes before sub Colm Whelan's snapshot bounced wide of the mark.

The Derry players slumped to the floor at the final whistle, their European adventure coming to an abrupt end.

Derry City: Maher 7: Dummigan 7 (Diallo 5, 79), Connolly 7 (McEleney 6, 90), Coll 7, Doherty 5 (Whelan 6, 106); Kelly 6 (Todd 6, 90), Patching 6, O'Reilly 5, Duffy 7 (Mullen 7, 80); McMullan 8; Hoban 7; Subs Not Used - Ryan, Ovendale, Davenport, McCay.

FC Magpies; Coleing 6; Ronco 7 (Valle 6, 99), Taylor 7, Diaz 7, Zuniga 6 (Coombes 7, 58), Carrascal 7, Arguez 8, Garcia 8 (Del Rio 7, 112), Forjan 6 (Salles 6, 60) Bayode 6, Storer 5 (De Haro 8, h-t); Subs Not Used - Zappacosta Fraiz, Villar, Del Rio, Stevens, Hernandez.

Referee - Antioine Paul Chiaramontoi (Andora).

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