FAI Cup round-up: St Patrick’s into the last eight after Limerick win

St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Limerick 0

Goals from Conan Byrne and Christy Fagan sent St Patrick’s Athletic into the last eight of the FAI Cup before a crowd of 881 supporters at Richmond Park.

First Division leaders Limerick started this game well and Lee Lynch flashed a shot just over the bar on three minutes.

Lynch was lively and went close again on 25 minutes before Fagan smashed a shot off the crossbar at the other end a minute later.

Pat’s took the lead on 42 minutes when Byrne controlled a diagonal cross before racing in from the right.

He fired low into the bottom left corner with his strike taking a deflection off a Limerick foot in the packed goalmouth to leave Freddy Hall helpless.

Hall denied Pat’s a second goal in first-half injury time with a brilliant save from a Ger O’Brien shot that was going in his top-left corner.

But Pat’s made sure of the win on 77 minutes when Fagan headed in after Sean Hoare headed Mark Timlin’s corner into the centre.

Bohemians 0 Derry City 2

Goals from Harry Monaghan and Nathan Boyle were crucial at Dalymount Park last night, when Derry City booked their place in the last eight of the FAI Cup – at the expense of Bohemians.

Bohs had made a lively start to the proceedings and, on the stroke of 20 minutes, Mark Quigley rattled the crossbar from a pin-point delivery by skipper Derek Pender.

But it was Kenny Shiels’ Candystripes who broke the deadlock after 39 minutes – when midfielder Monaghan found the net from close-range.

Momentum was with the five-time Cup winners when the action resumed and, within three minutes of the restart, they had doubled their advantage with a superb finish by impressive striker Boyle.

Bohs were now left with a mountain to climb and, although substitute Dan Byrne and Paddy Kavanagh went close for the north Dublin outfit, they ultimately couldn’t break down the disciplined Derry City defence.

Wexford Youth 2 Sligo Rovers 1

Andy Mulligan came off the bench to put Wexford Youths into the quarter-finals with a stoppage-time winner at Ferrycarrig Park.

With the game looking like it was heading for a replay as it entered the 92nd minute, Mulligan latched onto fellow substitute Jonny Bonner’s through ball to touch it past goalkeeper Micheal Schlingermann and watch as it trickled to the net.

Despite eight changes, Youths brought the game to life with the lead goal on 20 minutes.

Aidan Keenan held the ball up well to set up midfielder Shane Dempsey whose crisp strike from distance found the top corner of Micheal Schlingermann’s net.

Struggling Sligo didn’t threaten until the 38th minute when they ought to have equalised.

Achille Campion headed down a free kick to put Rafaele Cretaro in on goal. Youths’ goalkeeper Graham Doyle made a brave point-blank save at the striker’s feet.

Four minutes later Sligo were level.

Great feet and composure saw Cretaro to dribble across the face of the Youths goal before drilling low to the corner of Doyle’s net.

Athlone Town 0 Shamrock Rovers 5

A blitz of second-half of goals saw Shamrock Rovers ease past strugglers Athlone Town in the midlands and book a place in the quarter-finals last night.

Despite being ranked 22 to 1 outsiders to win, First Division basement side Athlone held out till three minutes after half-time when Gary McCabe buried a penalty. Sean Boyd, Brandon Miele, Simon Madden and James Doona added further goals to reflect Rovers’ superiority.

Following a tepid first-half, the Tallaght-based side were gifted the opener when Colm Cross handled in the area, allowing McCabe fire in his ninth goal of the season.

That was the cue for the floodgates to open, as three minutes later Boyd scored for the third game in a row by smashing home after goalkeeper Jamie Quinn spilled Trevor Clarke’s low drive.

On 63 minutes, Miele got in on the act by turning on the edge of the box to beat Quinn before Madden stormed forward 10 minutes later to grab a rare goal.

Substitute Doona completed the rout 12 minutes from the end by punishing another defensive lapse by the home side.