Treaty United's FAI Cup journey comes to an end at the hands of Derry City

Treaty United have been knocked out of the 2025 Sports Direct FAI Cup after they were beaten by Derry City at the Markets Field on Friday night. 

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Tommy Barrett's side fell to a 5-1 defeat to a Derry City side who dominated the second-half.

It was a highly entertaining first half at a sunny Markets Field. The game was played in front of a healthy crowd of 1,215 and those in attendance got their money's worth in the opening 45. 

Derry came close after six minutes when Bannon flashed a header just over the bar from a corner after a clever routine which involved crowding Corey Chambers' six-yard box. 

Derry dominated possession in the early exchanges but managed to do little with it. The Treaty defence stood firm when called upon with the likes of Mark Walsh showing his experience time and again.

Lee Devitt flashed a shot over the bar shorty after with both teams starting to exchange chances on goal. 

Derry's Akinyemi was causing trouble up front for Derry, as was Trpimir Vrljičak for the hosts. Both players were being used as target men for both teams to good effect. 

Vrljičak got the home crowd up on their feet after a quarter of an hour when the Croatian latched on to a ball over the top, rounded his man but unfortunately for Treaty, lifted his shot just over the bar. 

Derry were creating chances from corners throughout the half with Bannon again getting on the end of another Duffy inswinger.

With 30 minutes on the clock, the home crowd thought they had taken the lead. After terrific individual work from Lee Devitt, Mark Murphy was able to get a shot off but like Vrljičak's effort before him, it just went over the bar.

Diallo and Todd came close for Derry as the half came to a close, again from those aforementioned corners. 

Half time seemed to come at the wrong time for Tommy Barrett's side, who began to grab a foothold on proceedings as the half drew to a close. 

The ever busy Lee Devitt stung the hands of Maher in the Derry net on two separate occasions. It was a frantic end to the half and Treaty were kept honest when Corey Chambers had to pull off a fine stop to deny O'Reilly from point-blank range.

Vrljičak began the second half with an effort from close range which forced an excellent save from Maher but unfortunately for Treaty, this would be would be the only positive from the opening exchanges of the second-half. 

Derry, who had threatened from corners in the first 45', scored three goals, each from a corner in 15 second-half minutes. The home side had not learned their lesson from the first-half and were punished by Liam Boyce (x2) and Alex Francis Bannon, who had come close in the first half. 

Tommy Barrett rang the changes, utilising his bench and it had the desired effect when Lee Devitt continued his fine goal-scoring form to get a goal back for the Shannonsiders' on 79 minutes. 

Derry quickly put any chance of a Treaty comeback to bed when they were awarded a penalty on 84 minutes, Boyce completing his hat-trick. 

Danny Mullen added a fifth for the Candystripes on 87 minutes to round off an impressive second-half display for the Premier Division side. 

Next up for Tommy Barett and Treaty United is a trip to Athlone Town in the League of Ireland First Division. Kick off is at 7.45 in the Athlone Town Stadium next Friday night.

Treaty United: Chambers, O'Connor, Walsh (C) (Martin 77'), Lynch, Lynch, Conroy (Byrne 77'), Healy (Doherty 89'), Wilson (Cunningham 65'), Devitt, Murphy, Vrljičak (Ferry 77')

Derry City: Maher, Boyce (Frizzell 78'), Bannon, Connolly, Todd, Ferguson (Cann 56'), O'Reilly, Diallo, Whyte (Boyce 56'), Duffy (Benson 78'), Akinyemi (Mullen 68')

Referee: Lucas Keating