FAIS Senior Schoolboys semi-final - De La Salle, Waterford 2 St Benildus, Dublin 2 Aet. (De La Salle win 6-5 on penalties):DE LA Salle goalkeeper Seán Whitty converted the winning penalty in sudden death of a penalty shoot-out in Arklow yesterday to secure his school a place in the FAIS Tony O'Neill Senior Cup final on March 22nd.
The Waterford school were twice forced to come from behind against 10-man St Benildus, with Conor Coad, a grand-nephew of former Shamrock Rovers legend Paddy Coad, providing both equalisers.
Despite losing Karl McGrath on five minutes to a red card for a professional foul, St Benildus managed to take the initiative and raced ahead through a Conor Buter long-range shot three minutes before half-time.
Concerted second-half pressure from De La Salle eventually yielded an equaliser on 70 minutes when the impressive Coad latched on to a Chris Kervick cross to volley home.
St Benildus regained the lead two minutes into extra-time when Paul Connolly kept his cool to tuck home from 20 yards, only for Coad to grab his second shortly three minutes after the turnaround following a neat cut-back by Kevin Flynn.
The gripping penalty shoot-out went all the way to sudden death and, after Whitty saved David Byrne’s attempt, he stepped up to drill the ball to the net with the decisive kick.
DE LA SALLE, WATERFORD: Whitty; McManus, O’Donevan, Potter, Fitzgerald, Whittle, Morris, Galibert, Kervick, Flynn, Coad. Subs: Deegan, O’Leary, Kindlon, Kirby, Brown.
ST BENILDUS COLLEGE, DUBLIN: Finn; Rogers, McAuliffe, Healy, McGrath, Meegan, Oates, Buter, Connolly, Byrne, Mannion. Subs: Day, Reilly, Simon, Byrne, Brennan.
Referee: Lee Bevans (Wicklow).
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