FAI CUP: Kildare County 1; Cherry Orchard 0: Kildare County had to work hard on Saturday night to reach the last eight of the FAI Cup as Cherry Orchard, the only surviving non-league side, resisted strenuously throughout the 90 minutes and may even consider themselves a little unfortunate not to have earned a replay.
Scarcely overawed, the Leinster Senior League side started brightly and Kildare County goalkeeper Tadhg Murphy had to make a superb save from Seán O'Connor's shot on nine minutes.
But Cherry Orchard's bright start counted for nothing as they were caught on the break on 24 minutes for what proved the only goal of the game.
The Cherry Orchard defence was too square as Philip Hughes got on the end of Damien Brennan's long ball. Man-of-the-match Hughes's finish was superb, though, as his lob from 30 yards dropped in over the poorly positioned Mark Clohessy.
The woodwork saved Cherry Orchard on 34 minutes as another quick break found them wanting at the back again with Hughes's chip rebounding off the crossbar.
But it was never one-way traffic and Kildare County had a similar let-off themselves a minute before the break when Aidan Price's header from a Graham Doyle free-kick came back off a post with Colm Daly's follow-up narrowly wide.
The second half was poor as the sides cancelled each other out for long spells. An acrobatic, tip-over save by Clohessy from Kildare County substitute Alan Kelly's header three minutes from time the only chance of note as the Ballyfermot side's cup dream ended at Station Road.
KILDARE COUNTY: Murphy; Brennan, Whelehan, R Kenny, Cronin; Zeller, M Kenny, Scully, McNevin; Zeller (Ryan, 82 mins), O'Connor (Kelly, 58 mins).
CHERRY ORCHARD: Clohessy; Tougher, Malone (Barry, 74 mins), Price, O'Brien; Doyle (Lennon, 67 mins), Smith, Mearns, Daly; O'Connor, Notaro.
Referee: T Kelly (Athlone).
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