By Jonny Stapleton
Cup Kings of the Ring, St Patrick’s CY were the only amateur side to bring a sharpened scalping knife into FAI Senior Cup first round last weekend.
The Dublin side didn’t quite register a massive shock or historic cup upset – but still beat divisionally superior opposition to progress to the last 16 of the biggest knockout competition in Irish football.
The LSL Senior Sunday 1 side got revenge over Lucan United, the Senior Sunday side that put them out of FAI Intermediate Cup, to move another step along the Road to the Aviva.
The intermediate second-tier side are now the only club from the famous football territory that is Ringsend left in the competition, with League of Ireland sides Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne both falling at the cup hurdle.
Mark Ivie proved the hero on the day, giving CY rare local bragging rights by holding his nerve to settle a five-goal thriller in the away side’s favour right at the death.
The Saints took an early lead when Joe Doyle scored on minute 9. Former Reading, Norwich and Leyton Orient frontman Dave Mooney levelled on 36 minutes only for Ben Hanrahan to put Pats back into progression pole before the break.
That lead was again whipped out when Mooney, an FAI Cup finalist with Longford, scored with the 90-minute fast approaching.
However, with extra-time looming Ivie stepped up the plate and set up a second round tie courtesy of a neat 91st-minute finish.
Rob McKenna was Skerries Town’s hero as CY’s fellow Senior Sunday 1 side stepped into the second round.
McKenna hit a brace for the only other non-league side to progress to the last 16. Josh Mullin also found the net in a three goal defeat of fellow amateurs Portlaoise.
Kilbarrack United were extremely unlucky not take Finn Harps to extra time at the very least after their tight and tense first round clash.
The LOI side certainly didn’t have things all their own way on Dublin’s northside needing a heavily deflected Max Hutchison effort to progress.
The likes of continuous threat Jack Kelly and Mark Townley both saw efforts saved against the Donegal favourites, while the impressive amateurs had a strong penalty claim waved away.
Bangor Celtic gave Division 1 high flyers Galway United a real scare. The Senior Sunday side took an early lead against the Westerners when Adam Maher found the net in the second minute. Galway’s response was strong and they eventually ensured they avoided a banana skin by putting four past the Driminagh side.
Action from St Patrick’s CYFC’s FAI Cup first round win over Lucan United at O’Hanlon Park in Celbridge last weekend.
Pictures: Martin Doherty
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