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Holders Derry City made it through to the FAI Cup quarter-finals with an unconvincing win over Leinster Senior League side Bluebell United in their third round replay at the Brandywell.

Rory Patterson smashed his 22nd goal of the season into the bottom corner on 36 minutes and Barry McNamee stroked the ball into an empty net after 83.

Peter Sherlock drilled home a consolation a minute into added time.

The Candystripes will travel to face Sligo Rovers in the next round.

Sligo have already beaten Declan Devine's side on three occasions this season.

The first clear-cut chance of the game fell to Derry's top scorer Patterson, but he fired wide from 14 yards out.

The former Linfield and Coleraine forward then saw a back-post header saved by goalkeeper Andrew McNulty, who also proved equal to Mark Griffin's left-foot effort soon after.

Patterson put the home side in front nine minutes before the break and McNamee hit the sidenetting.

Glen Madden headed wide for the visitors after the break as the five-times FAI Cup winners failed to kill off the tie in front of a small crowd.

McNamee took advantage of a mistake in the Bluebell defence to slot home the second but the south Dublin-based side responded with defender Sherlock's effort into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Devine's men won the cup last November by beating St Pat's Athletic 3-2 after-extra-time in the final.

They began their defence of the trophy with a 4-0 victory over Cork-based juniors Blarney in the second round.

Derry's next match is away to Cork City at Turner's Cross in the Premier Division on Friday night.