- Dave Donnelly
- Sat, Nov 02 2019
Dave Donnelly reports from Clontarf Sports Complex
Extra-time goals from substitutes Kyle Robinson and Kian Corbally saw St Patrick’s Athletic into a second successive Leinster Senior Cup final as they edged out Sheriff YC 3-1 in Clontarf.
A youthful Saints side, of whom striker Jake Walker was the only recognised senior player, went the distance with a Sheriff side looking to reach the final for the first time.
Daniel Dobbins had given the Athletic the lead just past the hour but Leon Hayes levelled the tie within two minutes, and Sheriff had the better chances to win inside 90 minutes.
Both sides tired in extra time and it was the fresh legs of Robinson and Corbally that proved the difference with strikes inside the final seven minutes of the extra 30.
Both Paul Murphy and brother Stephen received their marching orders for disputing the decision not to call Robinson offside.
Ex-Saint Anthony ‘Bisto’ Flood was shown a second yellow in the dying moments as a hitherto fine performance from the Leinster Senior League side unravelled in disappointing fashion.
The late drama was rarely signposted during a well-contested, if uneventful, first hour as neither side came particularly close to breaking the deadlock.
Anto Flood dragged a shot across goal while the Saints’ best chance of the first half was sliced wide by Kevin O’Reilly.
A fantastic block from Keith Carter denied another former Pats player, Stephen Maher, what looked a certain goal early in the second half following good hold-up play from Flood.
Dobbins broke the deadlock 16 minutes into the second half when a ball across the box landed fortuitously for Dobbins to finish at the back post.
If the concession deflated Sheriff, they didn’t show it and levelled within two minutes as Hayes cut in from his left wing and finished smartly with his weaker foot from the edge of the box.
An outstanding save from Brian Maher denied Stephen Maher as Sheriff looked to finish the tie in 90 minutes, the keeper showing great agility to tip the header over the bar.
Dobbins was denied a second by the feet of Lee Murphy and Hayes, likewise, as his curling effort just cleared the crossbar as the game opened up significantly.
Sheriff continued to press in extra time and Stephen Maher couldn’t quite hook the ball on target from a corner, while Walker missed two great chances in succession for the Saints.
The Athletic hit the front once more in contentious circumstances as Robinson appeared to be offside as he latched onto a Cian Hughes through-ball before poking the ball past Murphy.
In the resulting fall-out, Paul Murphy was shown a straight red for his protests, while Stephen followed moments later, and Anto Flood was shown a yellow card.
Corbally wrapped it up against the nine men two minutes from time as he scampered through and kept his cool to slide the ball past Murphy.
Bisto Flood was then shown a second yellow for a rash tackle on Holt in injury time as Sheriff finished with eight men.
Sheriff YC: Lee Murphy; Adam McMahon (Gary Burke 78), Joseph Flood, Paul Murphy; Hayden McAuley, Stephen Maher, Stephen Murphy, Karl Fitzsimons, Leon Hayes; Shane Rooney (Alan McCabe 78 (Gerard Black 87)), Anthony Flood.
Subs not used: Patrick Harcourt, Nathan Bell, Gavin McDermott, Carl McCabe.
Booked: Joseph Flood (40), Adam McMahon (92), Anthony Flood (113, 120+1).
Sent off: Paul Murphy (113), Stephen Murphy (113), Anthony Flood (120+1).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Brian Maher; Kevin O’Reilly (Sean Madden 82), Cian Kelly, Keith Carter; Daniel Dobbin, Jamie Whelan, Cian Hughes, Ben McCormack (Kian Corbally 69), Brandon Holt; Darragh Burns, Jake Walker.
Subs not used: Josh Keeley (gk), Jamie Doyle, Kevin Kelly.
Referee: TBC
Attendance: 400 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Daniel Dobbins (St Patrick’s Athletic).
