O'Connor secures heroic victory

Keith O'Connor was the hero as Longford Town maintained their remarkable rise in the domestic game by booking a place in the FAI Cup quarter-finals.

Richmond Park has proved a happy venue for Stephen Kenny's Premier Division newcomers and they added to a 4-2 league win here last September with this memorable victory, thanks to O'Connor's superb second-half winning goal.

After the month long lay-off, the first game back provided a worthy advertisement for the domestic game with a cracking cup tie.

St Patrick's wasted no time in taking the game to the visitors, forcing a corner inside the first minute while the ever-threatening Martin Russell availed of a deflection off referee Dick O'Hanlon to fire a left-foot drive narrowly wide.

That was a precursor of what was to come from the one-time Manchester United hopeful whose shooting was to terrorise Longford.

With Longford forced to defend deep, Mbabazi Livingstone was then guilty of a bad miss on seven minutes when played clean through by Robbie Griffin. With just Stephen O'Brien to beat, the Ugandan international sidefooted wide when he should have scored.

Unbowed, Longford soaked up the early pressure to hit them on the break on 14 minutes. Little seemed on as captain Wes Byrne got the ball back from his throw-in to whip a pacy cross into the near post. A hesitant defence was duly punished as winger Stephen Gavin arrived in front of Stephen McGuinness to glance the ball home with his head.

St Patrick's responded and Griffin burst forward to drive a shot just over. And it was no surprise when they levelled on 31 minutes.

Gavin was robbed by Griffin who in attempting to set up Liam Kelly saw his pass ricochet into the path of Russell who unleashed a stunning left-foot shot first time from some 20 yards which gave O'Brien no chance as it flew into the net.

Twice more before the interval Russell didn't hesitate to shoot on sight; O'Brien gathering the first effort, the other flying wide.

The second half was slow to ignite and only did so when O'Connor struck for what was the winner on 61 minutes. He set up a Vinny Perth shot and was quickest to react to sidefoot home after Shay Kelly parried Perth's effort.

O'Brien had to make a particularly good stop from Liam Kelly while Ger McCarthy shot over when well placed as St Patrick's could not find a way back despite O'Hanlon playing nine minutes of added time at the end.

ST PATRICK'S: Kelly; Croly, S. McGuinness, Maguire, Burke; R. McGuinness, Livingstone, Griffin, Russell; Kelly, McCarthy. Subs: Holt and Osam for Doyle and R McGuinness (both 72 mins).

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien; Murphy, Smith, McNally, W. Byrne; Gavin, S. Byrne, V. Perth, Prunty; O'Connor, Zellor. Subs: Holt for Gavin (54 mins), Kelly for Perth (74 mins), Coyle for McNally (85 mins).

Referee: R O'Hanlon (Waterford)