Sporting Fingal 2 - 2 Limerick FC

• Conor Kelly
• Sat, Aug 28 2010


A late late equaliser from Stephen O’Flynn has forced yet another cup replay for Sporting Fingal.

Fingal got off to a dream start when Ronan Finn opened the scoring after just three minutes when he linked with Gary O’Neill who supplied the final ball for Finn to stroke home.

The home side were in control throughout the opening quarter as Limerick failed to maintain possession.

It wasn’t long before Fingal doubled their lead. This time a pin point cross field pass from Shaun Williams found Conan Byrne free at the back post. Byrne coolly volleyed past Dave Ryan in the Limerick goal to make the score line 2-0 to the Northsiders with only 19 minutes gone.

Ten minutes later Shaun Maher had an excellent chance to make it three when he rose above the Limerick defence to head Byrne’s corner over the crossbar.

It was beginning to look ominous as O’Neill and Finn were causing problems for Pat Scully’s side but they could not extend their lead.

Limerick’s best opportunity came with ten minutes left in the first half when O’Brien gave away a free kick on the edge of the Sporting penalty area. Sean Kelly stepped up and put his free kick just inches over Darren Quigley’s cross bar.

This left the game 2-0 to the hosts at the break with Limerick struggling to exert any pressure on their opponents.

Scully made a change at the break in the hope that his side could salvage something from the tie. Timmy Kiely made way for Shane Clarke up front.

The change seemed to inspire Limerick as within four minutes of the break they had pulled a goal back.

Pat Purcell latched onto a corner from Shane Tracy to blast his header past Quigley.

This goal gave the visitors the lift they needed and they started to cause Fingal more problems.

With half an hour left on the clock Bobby Ryan was forced off injured and was replaced by Garbhan Coughlan. He would give Limerick an extra spark going forward.

Williams came close to reinstating Fingal’s two goal lead when he spotted Ryan off his line. The midfielder attempted to catch the goalkeeper off guard but Ryan recovered superbly to tap the ball over the cross bar.

On 73 minutes Limerick were dealt a massive blow when Shane Tracy picked up his second yellow card of the day after a foul on Byrne.

O’Neill did make it three when he put the ball in the back of Ryan’s goal. However, he was adjudged to be offside and the goal was chalked off.

This would prove to be a crucial decision when with two minutes of extra time played Tierney put a menacing ball into the Fingal box.

Fingal failed to deal with the free kick and O’Flynn pounced on the loose ball to level the game and force a replay.

The two sides will now meet this Monday in Limerick to decide who will advance to the FAI Ford Cup quarter finals.

Sporting Fingal: Quigley, O’Brien (James 90 min), Maher, Browne, Frost, Byrne, Williams, McFaul, Finn (Kirby 89 min), Cahill (Eamon Zayed 82 min), O’Neill
Subs Not Used: Clarke, Crowe, Gannon, Fitzgerald

Limerick FC: D Ryan, Kelly, Purcell, Stanley, Judge, Kiely (Clarke 45 min), B Ryan (Coughlan 61 min), Sullivan, Tracy, O’Flynn, Tierney Subs Not Used: O’Callaghan, O’Mara, Bawdarkar, McGuinness

Referee: Damian Hancock
Attendance: 212
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Shaun Williams