A vastly understrength Derry City side booked their place in the EA Sports Cup semi-finals with a comfortable victory over an outclassed UCD.

This one-sided quarter-final at the Belfield Bowl saw Derry boss Stephen Kenny make no fewer than nine changes in his starting line-up from the side that drew 2-2 with College in the Premier Division at the same venue last Friday.

And his young side rewarded him with a display of total confidence and three excellent second half goals.

The Students went close to breaking the deadlock on 35 minutes when defender Sean Harding played a neat ball to midfielder Paul O'Conor on the right. His precision cross found unmarked substitute Sean Russell on the left only for his 12 yard effort to be brilliantly blocked by 'keeper Eugene Ferry.

Derry then took the lead on 48 minutes when Patrick McEleney put winger Stephen McLaughlin in the clear and his rocket shot from 14 yards gave 'keeper Gerard Barron no chance. McEleney then went close only to see effort from the edge of the box pushed over by Barron.

The Brandywell babes stretched their lead on 56 minutes when another McEleney effort was blocked by O'Conor on the line, only for midfielder Ruairi Harkin to blast home the rebound from 22 yards high into the corner of the net.

The game was effectively over as a contest when Derry grabbed their third goal on 62 minutes with Michael McCrudden firing home low from 16 yards with the College defence totally caught napping.

Derry could even afford the luxury of missing a penalty on 74 minutes after Harding was red carded for a foul on McLaughlin. David McDaid's spot-kick struck the woodwork and rebounded to safety.

UCD: Barron; Harding, D.O'Connor, Leahy, Nangle; Ledwith (Kavanagh 83), Corry (Russell 21), P.O'Conor, Benson (Doyle 56), Meenan; Rusk.

DERRY CITY: Ferry; McCallion, Friars, McBride (Curran 88), McGonigle; McCrudden (S.McEleney), Henry (Heaney 89), R.Harkin, McLaughlin; P.McEleney, McDaid.       

REFEREE: Rob Rogers (Dublin).