Willow Park 2 - 1 Crumlin United
Credit:
Leinster Senior Cup Round 4
Colin Fortune's injury time winner ensured a place in the Leinster Senior Cup quarter-finals for last year's Leinster Junior Cup champions Willow Park where they join Shamrock Rovers and Wexford Youths in the last eight.
Fortune, a former Athlone Town and Galway Utd stalwart, struck the winning goal two minutes into injury time, after another former Athlone player, Brian Frawley, had levelled matters early in the second half.
Crumlin, last season's Leinster Senior League and FAI Intermediate Cup winners, came storming out of the blocks in the opening half, and took a deserved lead through ex-Shelbourne striker Tony Griffiths. Griffiths prodded the ball into the roof of the Willow net in the 25th minute, after Ian Bolger had saved his initial header.
Further chances followed before half-time for a dominant Crumlin, but the exceptional Griffiths and Gerry Quinn missed fair chances. Darren Meade also had the ball in the Willow net but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside. The tide changed dramatically after the break though, with the home side taking a much firmer grip on proceedings.
And the Athlone team were level two minutes after the restart. Colm Hyland and Gary McHugh worked to create the opening, with the former's low cross buried to the net by veteran Brian Frawley.
Crumlin still threatened during rare forays into the Willow half, with Bolger tipping Peter Sherlock's header onto the crossbar, and home defender Graham Whittaker heading substitute Robert Douglas' cross off the line. But Willow, who operate in the Combined Counties League, were now controlling possession, and the previously influential Martin Cramer and James Lee were now subdued in the visitors' midfield.
Both Fortune and Mark Nicholson tried their luck from distance, while Willow also spurned a couple of good chances to get speed merchant Colm Hyland through on goal. However, great work from the Hyland brothers, Colm and Aidan, set up Fortune to stroke home a fine effort in the 92nd minute.
Crumlin reaced upfield and Griffiths was unfortunate not to equalise, but the home side did enough to join Shamrock Rovers and Wexford Youths in the last eight.
Willow Park: Ian Bolger; Jimmy Mullally, Peter Sherlock, Ronan Frawley, Graham Whittaker, Mark Nicholson, Aidan Hyland, Colin Fortune, Brian Frawley, Colm Hyland, Gary McHugh.
Subs: Gary Devine for B Frawley (75 mins), Brian Fogarty for McHugh (92).
Crumlin United: David Meehan; Wayne Byrne, Andy Doolin, Paul McCabe, Peter Sherlock, Martin Cramer, Stephen Larkin, James Lee, Darren Meade, Tony Griffiths, Gerry Quinn.
Subs: Robert Douglas for Larkin (75 mins), Daniel Loughran for McCabe (84).
Referee: Tom Cunningham (Offaly).
Colin Fortune's injury time winner ensured a place in the Leinster Senior Cup quarter-finals for last year's Leinster Junior Cup champions Willow Park where they join Shamrock Rovers and Wexford Youths in the last eight.
Fortune, a former Athlone Town and Galway Utd stalwart, struck the winning goal two minutes into injury time, after another former Athlone player, Brian Frawley, had levelled matters early in the second half.
Crumlin, last season's Leinster Senior League and FAI Intermediate Cup winners, came storming out of the blocks in the opening half, and took a deserved lead through ex-Shelbourne striker Tony Griffiths. Griffiths prodded the ball into the roof of the Willow net in the 25th minute, after Ian Bolger had saved his initial header.
Further chances followed before half-time for a dominant Crumlin, but the exceptional Griffiths and Gerry Quinn missed fair chances. Darren Meade also had the ball in the Willow net but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside. The tide changed dramatically after the break though, with the home side taking a much firmer grip on proceedings.
And the Athlone team were level two minutes after the restart. Colm Hyland and Gary McHugh worked to create the opening, with the former's low cross buried to the net by veteran Brian Frawley.
Crumlin still threatened during rare forays into the Willow half, with Bolger tipping Peter Sherlock's header onto the crossbar, and home defender Graham Whittaker heading substitute Robert Douglas' cross off the line. But Willow, who operate in the Combined Counties League, were now controlling possession, and the previously influential Martin Cramer and James Lee were now subdued in the visitors' midfield.
Both Fortune and Mark Nicholson tried their luck from distance, while Willow also spurned a couple of good chances to get speed merchant Colm Hyland through on goal. However, great work from the Hyland brothers, Colm and Aidan, set up Fortune to stroke home a fine effort in the 92nd minute.
Crumlin reaced upfield and Griffiths was unfortunate not to equalise, but the home side did enough to join Shamrock Rovers and Wexford Youths in the last eight.
Willow Park: Ian Bolger; Jimmy Mullally, Peter Sherlock, Ronan Frawley, Graham Whittaker, Mark Nicholson, Aidan Hyland, Colin Fortune, Brian Frawley, Colm Hyland, Gary McHugh.
Subs: Gary Devine for B Frawley (75 mins), Brian Fogarty for McHugh (92).
Crumlin United: David Meehan; Wayne Byrne, Andy Doolin, Paul McCabe, Peter Sherlock, Martin Cramer, Stephen Larkin, James Lee, Darren Meade, Tony Griffiths, Gerry Quinn.
Subs: Robert Douglas for Larkin (75 mins), Daniel Loughran for McCabe (84).
Referee: Tom Cunningham (Offaly).
