Millwall 1 Sunderland 0
Millwall are through to the FA Cup final for the first time in their history after Tim Cahill's goal gave them a slender victory over First Division rivals Sunderland.
Dennis Wise's men will meet Manchester United in the final at the Millennium Stadium on May 22 after winning a bruising encounter at Old Trafford.
Cahill struck after 25 minutes to settle a tie that Sunderland began and finished brightly, but Millwall's Paul Ifill, Kevin Muscat and Wise himself suffered injuries that could keep them out of action for some time.
Ifill it was whose enterprise set up the only goal. The winger cut into the penalty area on the right and fired in a left-footed shot which Mart Poom could only parry, and Cahill side-footed the loose ball through a crowd of players.
The game had begun with such promise for Sunderland, who almost took the lead after seven minutes, when John Oster drove in a curling free-kick which crashed off the underside of the crossbar.
Kevin Kyle was then left unmarked from Oster's corner, but the tall striker could not reach high enough to direct a header on target.
Moments later Oster tried his luck again, this time he was a whisker off target with his right-footed shot.
Neil Harris was marginally offside as he flashed in a half-volley, while Jason McAteer blazed a shot too high after more good work from Oster.
The goal raised the temperature and McAteer was booked for an ugly and unnecessary challenge on Muscat which sparked a mass brawl - a dozen or more players becoming involved.
McAteer was to pay the price five minutes from time when he received a yellow card for tugging down Neil Harris as he looked to break.
Prior to that incident it was Sunderland who had forced the pace in the second half, although it was a former Black Cat, Danny Dichio, who squandered the best chance, powering a free header from Cahill's cross straight at Poom.
Kyle failed to find the net with a hooked volley and a header as Sunderland burst into life early in the second half.
Julio Arca then should have equalised, only to blast a good chance over the bar from 12 yards with his right foot.
Sunderland continued to peg Millwall back despite the dismissal of McAteer and substitute Matt Piper almost snatched an equaliser, but Andy Marshall was able to push his shot round the post.
Poom came up for the resulting corner - and the ball almost fell for him to score a second goal of the season - but there was to be no fairytale ending for Mick McCarthy's side.
