Derry advance in FAI Cup with O’Reilly and Chapman on target against Tolka Rovers

FAI Cup, Second Round: Derry City 3 (O’Reilly 29, Chapman 83, 90+2) Tolka Rovers 0Derry City advanced to the third round of the FAI Cup with a victory over Dublin side Tolka Rovers that should have been more convincing than it was.A first-half strike from Adam O’Reilly was followed by a late Ellis Chapman brace after the break – bringing his tally to three goals in three games since moving from Shelbourne – to put Tiernan Lynch’s men into the hat for the next round. First though, Derry must contend with their Europa Conference League qualifier against Croatian side, HNK Rijeka on Thursday.In what was their 99th win in the competition, Derry were always in control but failed to convert numerous gilt-edged chances, leaving Tolka still in the game until Chapman’s 84th-minute clincher.Elliott Morgan’s side understandably set up in a deep defensive formation, but should have been behind after five minutes when a Derry free-kick wasn’t cleared. Instead, it broke perfectly for Chapman, but the midfielder could only volley straight at Tolka goalkeeper Noel Heffernan from six yards.READ MOREDerry hit the woodwork twice inside two minutes, James McClean pivotal in both moves. His header teed up James Clarke to nod against the inside of the post before Chapman’s personal crusade continued with a beautifully guided effort from a McClean cross that found the crossbar.The pressure eventually told when O’Reilly slotted his third goal of the season. One that Tolka captain Jake Hyland won’t want to see again.The midfielder’s cross-field pass went straight to O’Reilly, who advanced through acres of space before firing a superb low drive in off the post from 25 yards.Half-time arrived with Tolka still in the game, though the question was how long they could remain there.The answer should have been answered two minutes after the restart, when Clarke laid off perfectly for Darragh Burns, but the winger blasted wide.Derry came even closer less than 60 seconds later, when substitute James Olayinka was brought down and McClean stepped up to bend a lovely free-kick over the Tolka wall but found the crossbar.Liam Boyce made an almost instant impact when he came off the bench, coming within inches of heading a Liam Kelly cross into an unguarded net, but still Tolka refused to buckle until Chapman’s first strike on 83 minutes. It got better still for the hosts in injury time, when Brandon Fleming’s cross was touched home by Chapman.DERRY CITY: Maher, Stott, Slevin, O’Reilly (Olayinka, HT), Burns, Chapman, Clarke (Boyce 63), J McClean (Kelly 63), Twisk, Dummigan (Barr 63), Grogan (Fleming HT).TOLKA ROVERS: Heffernan, Townley, Tynan, Reilly, Hyland, C Kelly, Paget, Doyle-Ebbs (D Kelly 64), Mihutescu (Fox 71), Woods, Ibe.Referee: A O’Dowd.