NUI Galway 2
Glengad 2
Glengad won 7-6 on penalties
A dramatic FAI Junior Cup fifth round tie in Dangan on Saturday afternoon ended in despair for the students of NUIG when Rob Maloney lifted his sudden-death penalty over the crossbar and sparked wild celebrations among the Donegal players and their small group of supporters.
Extra time had failed to produce a winner, so the lottery that is a penalty shoot-out was needed. Nerves may have been jangling on both sides, but it didn’t show as thirteen successful spot-kicks followed before Maloney skied over.
It had looked as though NUIG would be the ones celebrating when Derek O’Flaherty nudged them ahead for the first time nine minutes into the first period of extra time. Mikey Creane got clear on the right flank thanks to Dave Cooke’s intelligent pass, and the striker darted into the area before picking out O’Flaherty who netted at the back post despite the best efforts of ‘keeper Michael McLaughlin.
But Glengad never gave in, and took advantage of a fortunate rebound six minutes from the end. Patrick McDermott was eager to shoot when presented with a free kick 25 yards out but elected to cross when it emerged the free was indirect. Richie Byrne got his head to the ball but only managed to deflect it into the path of substitute Paul Anthony McDermott who stabbed home from close range.
Patrick McDermott had earlier broken the deadlock in the regulation 90 minutes with a cracking right-footed half volley which rocketed into the top corner four minutes before half-time. Tristan Ryder was then denied an equaliser by a fine save from McLaughlin before the hosts enjoyed a purple patch for 15 minutes after the break.
The livewire Creane forced McLaughlin into a save before racing onto a long ball two minutes later. But after twisting and turning on the edge of the area, he could only scrape a shot harmlessly wide of the right hand post.
Cooke was bossing the midfield for NUIG during this spell, passing through and over the Glengad backline for the pacy strike duo to run onto. In the 52nd minute he tried to set O’Flaherty free once more but Shane Doherty intervened with a lunging block. The ball broke to Tristan Ryder and he enhanced his reputation for spectacular goals with a floated effort into top left corner that gave McLaughlin no chance.
Vinny Carrigan headed over as NUIG pushed on and a fine Shane Doherty block was needed to deny O’Flaherty. Glengad then had their own spell of dominance as Terence Doherty began to terrorise the college back four with his pace and trickery. In the space of 10 minutes he had three good efforts on goal while Paul McGonigle’s well-timed volley was only fractions over the bar.
The decisive goal never arrived, though, and the shrill blast of Ger Cahill’s whistle sent the tie towards its dramatic end-game. O’Flaherty, Byrne, Creane, Cooke, John Lavin, and Tristan Ryder all obliged from the spot, but their efforts were in vain as Glengad were unerringly accurate and it was eventually Paul McGonigle’s successfull attempt that sent them into the draw for the sixth round.
NUI Galway: John Burke; Eoin O’Loughlin, John Hynes, Donal McCann, Richie Byrne; Vinny Carrigan, Dave Cooke, Rory Bluett, Tristan Ryder; Mikey Creane, Derek O’Flaherty. Subs: Will Geoghegan for Bluett (45 mins ), Rob Maloney for O’Loughlin, John Lavin for Carrigan (90 mins ).
Glengad: Michael McLaughlin; John McLaughlin, Paddy Doherty, Shane Doherty, Ruaidhri Doherty; Charlie Byrne, Anthony Toland, Patrick McDermott, Paul McGonigle; John G McDermott, Terence Doherty. Subs: Stephen McLaughlin for Toland (72 mins ), Paul Anthony McDermott for John G McDermott (101 mins ).
Referee: Ger Cahill.
