Blarney red cards crucial for Malahide

Blarney Utd 1 Malahide Utd 4: IT was closer than the final scoreline suggested at O’Shea Park as Malahide United scored twice…

Blarney Utd 1 Malahide Utd 4:IT was closer than the final scoreline suggested at O'Shea Park as Malahide United scored twice late on to eliminate their hosts.

With five minutes remaining and Malahide leading 2-1, Blarney sub Eddie O’Connell was sent off for an incident involving Alan Riordan, reducing the home team to nine men after John Meade had earlier seen red.

The visitors powered on from there as subs Alan Corcoran and Stephen Donnelly found the net.

Alan O’Keeffe had put Malahide ahead in the sixth minute, heading in a Mark Higgins cross, but Blarney came back well and were level through Richard O’Brien following a defensive mix-up on 25.

READ MORE

Just before half-time, however, Meade was sent off for a foul on Mark Cashen, and though Blarney worked hard early in the second half, Glen Crowe put Malahide ahead on the hour.

O’Connell’s dismissal proved decisive for Malahide.

BLARNEY UNITED: Breen; Murray, Coleman, Meade, Lawlor; O’Neill, R O’Leary, OConnor, Clifford (Cronin 72 mins), I O’Leary (Coker 60 mins); O’Brien (O’Connell 75 mins).

MALAHIDE UNITED: S Cashen; Dooney, Butler, Perth, O’Riordan; Higgins, Doyle, Slattery, O’Keeffe (Dunne 65 mins); Crowe (Donnelly 89 mins), M Cashen (Corcoran 81 mins).

Referee: G Kelly (Cork).