Sam Coles was Brentford’s match-winner for the second time in three games as his goal sent The Bees through to the Dale Farm Milk Cup Vase Final after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Donegal Schoolboys in Clough.
In a match that was sometimes low on quality and attacking threat but high on industry and energy Coles struck nine minutes from time to give Azeez Akinbolu’s side their third win of the week.
The left-back broke into the box and swept home the loose ball from 12 yards to set up a Vase Final against Sheffield United on Friday.
Playing the fourth match in as many days Brentford made a number of changes with Daniel Francis, Emmanuel Santon, Dylan Hill, George Hunt and Charlie Wickham all coming in to the starting line-up.
Donegal, who boasted the same record of two wins and one defeat from the group stages as Brentford, looked to be compact in the opening stages and deny The Bees any room to play.
Aside from a Ian Carlo Poveda strike that flew over the bar The Bees were unable to create chances against a stubborn backline early on.
Without the ball Donegal would drop into a 4-5-1 formation but in Luke Gavigan up front they had a powerful and willing runner.
He won the free-kick which saw Matthew McKenna head straight at Marco Tavares and was the Irish side’s main outlet as Brentford pushed them deeper and deeper towards their own penalty area as the half went on.
To their credit Donegal stuck to their defensive game-plan and aside from a brave save at the feet of Hill, Eoin O’Doyle remained untroubled as Brentford saw plenty of the ball but couldn’t break through.
Hunt sent a couple of speculative long-range efforts over the bar just before the break as both sides went in goalless.
The pattern in the early stages of the second-half was no different to that of the first with Brentford having plenty of possession but being denied space to create any end product.
As they pushed forward Gavigan was given more space to exploit in behind The Bees backline and he nearly did so to devastating effect but Hunt was alive to hook his dangerous ball clear as McKenna looked set to roll home from close range.
That near miss seemed to spark Brentford into life as wave of Brentford attacks threatened to swamp the Donegal defenders.
Poveda shot straight at O’Boyle from the edge of the box but, with the lottery of a penalty shoot-out, getting more and more of a possibility, eventually the pressure told and The Bees found a way through.
Coles drove forward from left-back and when Harry Francis’ cross bounced loose inside the box the tall-defender was on hand to calmly sweep home low past O’Boyle.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of the Irish side and Rachid Balde went close to adding a second soon after but O’Boyle spread himself well to thwart the midfielder from point-blank range.
At the other end Nana Frimpong had been a spectator since replacing Tavares at half-time but he was quickly down to turn away Cunningham’s fierce low effort.
Aside from that one chance The Bees looked in little danger of surrendering their lead and could have made things safe in the dying seconds as Jesus Cruz shot over from the edge of the box before Taymar Fleary struck the base of the post from close range deep into injury time.
As it proved one goal was enough for The Bees to set up a Vase Final against Sheffield United at Anderson Park, Coleraine, on Friday morning.