Michael Duffy's first-half double has sent Derry City to their first FAI Cup final in two decades. The winger scored twice in the opening 45 minutes to secure a 2-0 away win over Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday, setting up a final against Waterford.

"I scored twice in the first half," Duffy said after the match. His goals, in the 26th and 45th minutes, were his 11th and 12th of the season across all competitions. Interim manager Mark Connolly oversaw the victory, with Brandon Fleming, Ellis Chapman and Adam O'Reilly all featuring prominently. James Olayinka and Tyler Smith entered as late substitutes.

This final appearance ends a 20-year wait for Derry City, who last contested the showpiece in 2004. They will face Premier Division rivals Waterford, who beat Bohemians 2-0, at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, November 8th. The winner will lift one of Irish football's most prestigious domestic trophies.

Galway United, for whom club legend Stephen Walsh started, pushed for a way back into the game. Substitute Frantz Pierrot was denied by a key save from Derry goalkeeper Thomas Norcott. The match was refereed by Paul Norton and broadcast on RTE.

The victory extends Derry City's strong recent form to four wins and a draw from their last five matches. They currently sit fifth in the Premier Division with 41 points from 32 games. Attention now turns to maintaining that league momentum, with a trip to face Drogheda United scheduled for this Friday.

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Derry City have now reached their third FAI Cup final in five years, having won the trophy in 2022 and lost the 2024 final. The club confirmed the final will be played on Sunday, November 8th. The victory keeps their European qualification hopes alive. James McClean said his treatment by the club was 'incomprehensible', but the team showed no distraction. Derry's recent form is strong, with four wins and a draw from their last five matches.

Captain Michael Duffy said winning the FAI Cup, not European qualification, was the sole focus for Derry City. "You don't look at a cup like 'let's win the cup for Europe'," Duffy told reporters. "It's a cup, you want to win trophies." The team, now on a run of four wins and a draw from their last five matches, is targeting a seventh cup win on November 8th. Interim boss Mark Connolly has encouraged a free-flowing style, Duffy added.

Galway United manager John Caulfield admitted his side's first-half shape was not planned, after Derry City exploited the wings in Saturday's 2-0 semi-final win. "We didn't plan that, but that's what happened," Caulfield said. Derry's recent form stands at four wins and a draw from their last five matches. The Candystripes, fifth in the Premier Division with 41 points, next face Drogheda United on Friday.