Eamon Zayed scored in the second half of extra time to put holders Drogheda United into the final of the 2007 Setanta Sports Cup following a dramatic 1-0 extra time win over St Patrick’s Athletic.
Pat's had dominated for the full 90 minutes and had plenty of chances to take the win but couldn't capitalise on their possession.
Drogs very nearly won the game in added on time at the end of the 90.
They were awarded a scarcely deserved penalty when Anto Murphy tamely tackled Simon Webb in the box but Stuart Byrne failed to convert the resulting spot kick.
The Saints started in explosive fashion against a severely under strength Drogheda side.
Pat's had claims for a penalty after just 90 seconds when Gary O'Neill's header appeared to strike Steven Gray’s arm but ref Adrian McCourt was having none of it.
On six minutes Alan Kirby's sweeping cross from far on the right wing found O'Neill in the box but Byrne managed to get a toe the ball and clear the danger.
It was all Pat's at this juncture but it was Drogs who first went close to taking the lead.
That came on 17 minutes when a Paul Keegan shot had Pat's keeper Ryan beaten but Stephen Brennan appeared out of nowhere to dramatically clear off the line.
Murphy then went close for Pat's twice in two minutes. On 24 he narrowly shot wide from an O'Neill cross and a minute later saw his header cleared off the line by Brian Shelley.
There were further chances, mostly for Pat's before half time but they went in for the break scoreless.
Pat's then started the second half where they had left off the first with Murphy going close with a shot from a tight angle on 50 minutes.
At the other end, Ryan saved well at the feet of Ollie Cahill on the hour mark.
Just seconds after that Vilmunen pulled off a terrific save to deny block a Keith Fahey free kick, awarded after Zayed had taken David Mulcahy down.
Fahey tried his luck again from roughly the same spot on 67 minutes after Byrne had hacked down Mulcahy but this time his free went wide.
There was nothing else of note until the first minute of time added on when Drogs were awarded a penalty when Webb went down easy in the box following a tame tackle by Murphy. Byrne took the kick but the ball hit the post and the tie went to extra time.
Zayed then pounced on 112 minutes to collect a Paul Keegan ball and slot it past Ryan in to the top right of the net and send Drogheda into the final.
St Patrick's Athletic: Ryan, Brennan, Frost, Mulcahy, Maguire, C Foley, Kirby (O'Connor 105), Fahey, O’Neill, M Quigley, Murphy (Foley 96 (Rooney 117)).
Drogheda United: Vilmunen, Webb (Whelan 119), Gray, Robinson, Fitzpatrick (Grant 70), Shelley, Bradley, Byrne, Zayed, Keegan, Cahill.
Referee: Adrian McCourt (NI).
