Sport

St Pat's bounce back by taking holders' scalp

FAI CUP QUARTER-FINAL St Patrick’s Athletic 3 Sporting Fingal 1: ST PATRICK’S Athletic put their recent poor league form aside…

Mon Sept 20 2010 - 01:00

FAI CUP QUARTER-FINAL St Patrick's Athletic 3 Sporting Fingal 1:ST PATRICK'S Athletic put their recent poor league form aside on Saturday to reach the last four of the FAI Cup at the expense of holders Sporting Fingal.

Ryan Guy fired in the opener on 22 minutes after dispossessing Kenny Browne on the edge of the box. Damian Lynch headed in the second on 52 minutes before Shaun Williams put Fingal back in contention just a minute later. But Pat’s remained in control and Vinny Faherty secured the win on 86 minutes.

Fingal had a good chance on six minutes when Conan Byrne met Eamon Zayed’s cross and struck an excellent shot in the direction of the top right of Gary Rogers’s goal but the St Patrick’s goalkeeper made a fine one-handed save. Fingal looked for a penalty on 19 minutes when Zayed’s shot appeared to strike Conor Kenna on the arm but referee Richie Winter ignored the pleas.

St Patrick’s went ahead on 22 minutes when Browne took too much time on the ball and lost possession to Guy. The American turned and cracked a shot beyond the reach of Quigley from 20 yards out.

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They doubled their lead on 52 minutes when James O’Brien’s corner was met by Lynch who nodded in past Quigley from close range. Fingal responded immediately when a good move involving Byrne, Gary O’Neill and Zayed saw the ball laid on for Williams to hit a terrific drive past Rogers.

Substitute Glen Crowe replaced Zayed for Fingal and put the ball in the net with his first touch when he headed in Byrne’s corner on 73 minutes but Winter saw an infringement as the ball came into the penalty area and ruled it out.

Faherty sealed the win on 86 minutes when he connected with Danny North’s perfect pass and curled the ball past Quigley.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Pender, Bermingham, Lynch, Kenna; S Byrne, Mulcahy, O'Brien (Faherty, 70 mins); Guy, Doyle (Cash, 87 mins), North (Stewart, 90+3 mins).

SPORTING FINGAL: Quigley; O'Brien, Frost (Cahill, 84 mins), Williams, Hawkins; Browne, C Byrne (Gannon, 79 mins), Finn, Kirby; O'Neill, Zayed (Crowe, 73 mins).

Referee: R Winter(Wicklow)