Webb earns Bohemians a late cup reprieve

FAI Cup quarter-finalsDrogheda United 1 Bohemians 1Contrasting emotions were the order of the day as both sets of supporters emerged from O2 Park on Saturday evening following this pulsating cup tie.Bohemians will be grateful for a second chance as it took an equaliser two minutes into additional time at the end of the match to save them.

Drogheda, on the other hand, will feel they let this one slip as they spurned several opportunities to kill the tie off. They will particularly reflect on Andy Myler's penalty miss midway through that second half, when a second goal would surely have sent them through to the last four for the first time in 20 years.

Stephen Kenny, the Bohemians manager, said his side "deserved the draw, as we kept playing football for the entire game".

He believed the introduction of Bobby Ryan "gave us more width, with goalscorer Simon Webb our best player by far".

New Drogheda boss Paul Doolin was of the opinion his men were "excellent over the entire 90 minutes". Doolin believed his new charges "deserved to win and created the greater share of clear-cut openings". He went on to say that "the tie is far from over" and that his side will travel to Dalymount on Tuesday "in confident mood".

Drogheda struck for the lead with 20 minutes gone when Declan O'Brien crossed for Myler to head home from close range.

As the clock ticked down on Bohs' cup ambitions, and the fourth official indicated four minutes of added time, they went all out in search of an equaliser.

With 90 seconds remaining and the Drogheda defence under enormous pressure, the ball was hacked from the goal-line only as far as the unmarked Simon Webb, who headed the ball home for the most dramatic of equalisers.

DROGHEDA: Rogers, O'Connor, Kelly, Gray, Molloy, Jones, Gallagher, Quinless, O'Brien, Myler, Tierney.

BOHEMIANS: Kelly, Heary, Webb, Hunt, McGuinness (Ward 81), McNally, Morrison, Caffrey, Doyle (Keegan 63), Crowe, Harkin (Ryan 63).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Dublin).

Longford Town 3 Waterford United 1

Inspired by a dream start when the in-form Sean Francis scored with just two minutes gone on the clock, Longford Town booked their passage to the semi-final with a 3-1 win over Waterford in front of a 2,000-plus attendance at Flancare Park.

Town almost extended their advantage when Alan Kirby had a point-blank shot saved by keeper Dan Connor in the 18th minute but it was Waterford who had the better of the exchanges for the remainder of the first half.

Good goal chances fell to Neale Fenn and Alan Reilly, who were posing serious problems for the Town defence.

The visitors eventually equalised in the 47th minute with a cracking 25-yard strike from ex-Spurs player Fenn who was outstanding overall.

Longford went back in front in the 54th minute when a back header from central defender Brian McGovern caught Connor completely stranded and the midlanders made sure of their place in the last four when Eric Lavine put Francis through for his second goal in the 84th minute.

LONGFORD: O'Brien, Dillon, Ferguson, McGovern, Prunty, Kirby, Keogh, Perth, Byrne (Sheridan 72), Lavine, Francis.

WATERFORD: Connor, McLoughlin, Mallon, Byrne, Frost, O'Brien, Fitzgerald (Waters 85), Mulcahy (Rudden 87), Reilly, Fenn, Sullivan (Murphy 78).

Referee: E Barr (Dublin).

Sligo Rovers 1 Galway United 2

Galway booked their place in the semi-finals of the FAI Cup with a deserved 2-1 win over nine-man Sligo Rovers in this action-packed quarter-final at the Showgrounds on Saturday night.

Sligo were unable to raise their performance to the level that ended Shelbourne's interest in the competition. The loss of midfielder Ollie Keogh in the 38th minute was a considerable blow to Sligo. Keogh was red-carded for a second bookable offence.

Galway were also reduced to ten men when Tony Folan was sent off early in the second half. And Sligo defender Ian Rossiter was shown red three minutes from time as the frustrated home side laid siege to the visitors' goal in search of an equaliser.

Galway went in front in the 56th minute when Ciarán Foley rifled Tony Folan's free-kick past Ciarán Kelly in the home goal.

The Terryland Park side made sure of their place in the last four when Alan Murphy scored six minutes from time. Ramuel Miller took the bare look off the Sligo scoreline with a strike a minute into stoppage time.

SLIGO: Kelly, Miller, O'Dwyer, Feeney, Rossiter, Carr (Neary 74), Keogh, Cretaro, Williams (O'Dowd 54), McTiernan, O'Brien.

GALWAY: Forde, Keady, Quirke, Frawley, Foley, Fortune, Folan, Herrick (Carter 80), Moran, Murphy, Lawless (Harte 77).

Referee: Ian Stokes (Dublin).