FAI Cup Report: Everton 1 - 1 Liffey Wanderers (Everton win 5-3 on penalties)

Everton are through to the First Round Proper of the 2017 Irish Daily Mail FAI Senior Cup, following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Liffey Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.

Man of the match Jason Sexton, who played the entire game outfield as a centre half and scored Everton’s equalizer in the second half of extra time, would then go in goals for the penalty shootout and made a crucial stop that helped Everton progress.

It sets things up nicely for Everton, who are also in contention for the Munster Senior League First Division title.

Everton's name will now be in the draw for the next round, along with all of the League Of Ireland sides who will enter the competition at the next stage.

The game was quite a scrappy affair in windy conditions, with clear cut goal chances a rare item. Neither side could be faulted for a lack of effort but it was a case of defences on top for the vast majority of the game.

Everton did look to be threatening slightly more in the second half, with Killian Cooper and Gary O’Brien both looking good on the ball.

The pair linked up well around the hour mark, with Cooper just unable to get his head on a good ball in from the latter.

Liffey Wanderers are in the FAI Intermediate Cup Final, where they will face Cobh Wanderers at the Aviva Stadium.

The 2015 FAI Junior Cup champions made the trip to Cork knowing they had prior experience of knocking teams out from the Munster Senior League in cup competitions, as in the Intermediate Cup they were victorious away to College Corinthians.

The Leinster Senior League outfit could have won the tie in normal time, when they were awarded a penalty kick. Up stepped Carl O’Brien to take the spot kick, but his effort would clip the cross bar and go over.

Although they failed to properly test Haines in the Everton goal, Wanderers did have a few half chances. In the first half they were knocking the ball about slightly better, but the cutting edge was missing in front of goal.

Daniel O’Connor did have an opportunity when the ball fell to him in a decent position on the edge of the box, but his effort was blocked down by the home side’s defence.

Liffey though would take the lead in extra time, after they were awarded a second penalty kick of the day. On this occasion Anthony O’Connor stepped up to take the spot-kicking duties and he duly delivered a clinical finish to the left-hand corner.

The Dublin side’s lead would only last a matter of minutes however, as Everton found an equalizer through Sexton, who was in the right place at the right time to powerfully head in a cross by Shane Nagle to the back of the net.

A penalty shootout was thus needed to decide the outcome and who would indeed progress for a potential mouth watering tie with one of the League Of Ireland sides.

The hosts at this juncture decided to put swap Sexton for keeper Darren Haines for the shootout, and the man who played the whole of normal and extra time in the centre of defence did not disappoint.

He got down well to save Clayton Maher’s effort , while Everton scored all five their own penalties , with Sexton, David Daly, David O’Leary, Shaun Sweeney and Gary O’Brien all finding the target, to help ensure their progression to the next round.

The last time Everton played a League Of Ireland side in the FAI Senior Cup was back in 2012, when Waterford United made the trip to Everton Park.

On that day, a certain Sean Maguire was in the Waterford side. Who knows, maybe he could make another appearance in Everton Park this year with Cork City if the draw for the next round ends up a particular way.

Whatever the draw outcome will enable Everton with, it should provide a good chance for the players to test themselves against some of the best players in the country.

Everton: Darren Haines; Paul McGrath, Jason Sexton, Shaun Sweeney, Shane Long; David O’Leary, David Daly; Gary O’Brien, Patrick Murphy, Killian Cooper; Billy Kadima (Shane Nagle, 85) .

Subs Not Used: David Mulligan, David McGuire, Luke Cotter, Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Reece Donovan.

Booked: Jason Sexton (21) , David O'Leary (71).

Liffey Wanderers: James Mooney; Daniel O’Connor, Adam Deegan, Carl O’Brien, Anthony Gray; Paul Mooney, Stephen O’Callaghan, Gary Young, Kenneth Glennon(Dylan Murphy, 80); Dean Kinsella(Anthony O'Connor, 80), Jamie Roche(Clayton Maher, 26).

Subs Not Used: Phillip O'Connor, Kenneth Roche, Dean Young, Conor Riddiger

Booked: Dean Kinsella (5), Gary Young (85).

Referee: David Coleman.

Attendance : 100 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Man Of The Match: Jason Sexton (Everton).