FAI Cup: St Patrick’s Athletic 3 (Turner 54, Keena 90+4, Rooney 95) Shamrock Rovers 2 (Afolabi 39, Noonan 44) (AET)
Sam Rooney introduced himself to men’s football in spectacular fashion by scoring the goal that knocked Shamrock Rovers out of the FAI Cup.
On live television at Richmond Park no less.
The 17-year-old came off the bench for St Patrick’s Athletic just before Aidan Keena’s injury-time penalty forced extra-time.
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Rovers, the defending champions, were cruising into the quarter-final draw on Tuesday morning and serious pressure was about to be heaped on Stephen Kenny, trophy-less in his third season as St Pat’s manager.
Rooney’s cameo alters that narrative.
Initially, the Dublin derby was separated by accuracy in front of goal. Both sides fashioned two chances in the first half, yet Rovers led 2-0 at the break.
St Pat’s would have held plenty of regrets if they lost. Like when Keena had enough time to find the target after just seven minutes only to shoot wide.
Rovers did struggle to find their flow following a 5-1 loss to Egnatia in Albania last Thursday. John O’Sullivan was tasked with replicating the calm influence of Matt Healy in midfield, while Stephen Bradley replaced Graham Burke and Aaron Greene with the less proven strike partnership of Jonathan Afolabi and Michael Noonan.
The changes prompted Jack Byrne to drop deep and demand more ball than usual.
One of Byrne’s swerving free-kicks almost led to a goal for St Pat’s. Joey Anang dominated his area and flung the ball to Keena, who spotted Kian Leavy sprinting clear. Leavy could have won a penalty when nudged by Adam Brennan, but he kept his feet only to miscue his shot.
Rovers took over for a period with Afolabi heading wide from a Brennan cross before claiming his second goal since signing for the Tallaght club last month.
The Inchicore crowd took issue with a non-call by referee Neil Doyle before Afolabi stooped to finish Danny Mandroiu’s delivery. Keena was forced to the sideline after a head knock while tangling for possession with Tunmise Sobowale. When play resumed, with Keena was still off the pitch, St Pat’s skipper Joe Redmond was outmuscled by Sobowale which allowed Mandroiu to find Afolabi.
Rovers second was less complicated as Noonan beat Sean Hoare to Byrne’s inswinger after a foul by Jamie Lennon. Hoare appeared to get the final touch, but the teenager was credited with his seventh goal of the season.
St Pat’s pulled one back nine minutes into the second half when Luke Turner held off Luke O’Regan to send a looping header over Ed McGinty from Keena’s speculative ball to the back post.
McGinty kept Rovers in front with a one-handed save from Hoare after another dangerous ball by Keena into the Rovers area.
Inaccuracy came back to haunt Kenny’s team as Chris Forrester flashed his shot wide after a clever back heel by Ryan Edmondson. Next, Simon Power went for the top corner, and missed, when a low ball across the box might have yielded the equaliser.
Rovers looked set to hold on until Keena drew a foul from the otherwise flawless Lee Grace before walloping the penalty through McGinty.
Extra-time was preceded by similar huddles as Kenny and Stephen Bradley held their players’ attention with specific instructions.
But the momentum had taken a wild swing in St Pat’s favour. In any other era in Irish football, Rooney would have been away to England by now. Media reports are already linking him to Sporting Lisbon and Nottingham Forest, who were represented in the stand by their head of football development Andy Reid.
The old ground shook five minutes into the first half of extra-time when Edmondson showed his experience to take a touch and square a pass for Rooney to control and score.
The teenager did not have time to consider the enormity of the moment. He took his chance on instinct. It was a goal that ended Rovers double-double aspirations while providing St Pat’s with a chance of much-needed silverware.
Not seven months after Mason Melia departed for Tottenham Hotspur, another young striker appears.
“Credit to the players who came in from our academy,” said Kenny. “Ryan Sheridan and Sam Rooney.
“Sam got the winner which was great to see. It gets you into the quarter-finals, but that’s all it gets you ... We needed that.”
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; Brown (Elbouzedi 46), Redmond, Hoare, Turner, McClelland (Power 64, rep by Breslin 101); Lennon, Forrester (Rooney 87); Leavy (Sheridan 74), Keena, Olusanya (Edmondson 64).
Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; O’Regan (Fitzgerald 60), Sobowale, Grace, C O’Sullivan, Brennan (Stevens 82); Byrne, J O’Sullivan (Malley 73, rep by Mahon 101), Mandroiu (Watts 73); Noonan, Afolabi (Greene 60).
Referee: Neil Doyle.
