Limerick FC go so close

Limerick FC 0 Sporting Fingal 0 (AET – Sporting Fingal win 4-3 on penalties):CHAMPIONS SPORTING Fingal got the fright of their lives at Jackman Park last night, but they eventually won a dramatic tie.

Garry O’Neill, Alan Kirby, Ronan Finn and Shaun Williams scored the crucial penalties for the Dubliners, despite Stephen O’Flynn putting Limerick in front. Pat Purcell and Tommy Lyons were the other Limerick scorers.

Limerick were reduced to 10 when Lee O’Mara’s cup debut ended with a second yellow card after 51 minutes, but the first division side battled gamely and almost stole it three minutes from the end of normal time when Tommy Lyons created a chance for Timmy Kiely, but his 20-yard effort was just off target.

Fingal started best and Limerick were fortunate after 19 minutes when an effort by Shaun Williams just went over Dave Ryan’s crossbar.

Limerick upped the pace in the second half and John Tierney was unlucky when he hit a cracking drive from 30 yards which thundered back off the crossbar and the rebound fell to Shane Clarke who missed from a few yards.

With normal time and extra-time failing to separate the sides, it was left to penalties to provide a winner.

LIMERICK FC: Ryan, O'Mara, Kelly, White, Purcell, Sullivan, Kiely, Judge, Clarke, (Lyons, 65), Tierney, Coughlan (O'Flynn, 58).

SPORTING FINGAL: Quigley, Browne, Frost, Williams, Maher, Hawkins, Byrne, (Crowe, 106), Finn, O'Neill, Zayed, (Kirby (92), McFaul (Cahill, 74).

Referee: A Buttimer(Cork).