At one all, the Paddy Cotter cup tie between Melville FC and Inny FC at Sarsfield Park last Sunday looked to be heading to extra time, but a goal deep into stoppage time from substitute Brian Malone saw the home team claim a major scalp as First Division opposition were dumped out.
There were few clear-cut chances created as Inny’s Gerry Bowen started proceedings by firing over the bar. The visitors had a further opportunity to open the scoring but Azad Mohammed shot wide as Cathal Joyce came off his goal line.
A free kick conceded by Inny after 11 minutes lead to the first goal. Eric Donoghue sent in the delivery to the far post where central defender Daniel McManus bundled the ball home from close range.
Mohammed was again off target as the visitors looked to level matters, but the equaliser eventually arrived on 25 minutes, Mohammed striking lucky at the third attempt when finishing superbly to the roof of the net following a mazy run.
Melville had a chance to regain the lead through Corey Jinks but Daire Hynes got back to clear off the line. Melville earned the first corner kick after 35 minutes with Cathal Stacey then drilling a free kick over the bar as Inny earned their first corner before the break.
The second half was poor fare as neither team looked capable of securing a winner with little in the way of noteworthy action until the final quarter of the contest.
Eventual match winner Malone had been brought on at half time and another substitution followed for the hosts when Adam Dowling was introduced after 67 minutes. Both subs were involved in the next Melville moves as Malone sent in a right wing cross which Dowling mishit. The roles were reversed later as Dowling created the opening on the left from which Malone fired wide.
The latter was once more in action after 78 minutes when his cross from the left bounced off the bar. The visitor’s appeared to have held out for extra time as the tie headed beyond the 90-minute mark. Melville did not look out of place against their higher placed opponents and there was a late sting in their tail.
Extra time was looming large when the hosts struck. Inny gave away a free kick when Jinks was fouled on the left. It was generally expected that Malone would try and pick out a team mate in the crowded penalty area, but the outcome saw a major giant killing act being completed as the free kick delivery carried all the way to the net over the helpless keeper.
Inny were stunned and could offer no response in the few moments that remained. To compound a miserable outing for Inny, their full back Ciaran Fagan was sent off after picking up a second yellow card following the winning goal.
There was just enough time for the game to restart again as the final whistle was blown on the 94-minute mark as Melville now look forward to the quarter final draw.
