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Shamrock Rovers 1-2 Sporting Fingal (AET)

Liam Buckley's Sporting Fingal have qualified for the semi-finals of this season's FAI Ford Cup
Liam Buckley's Sporting Fingal have qualified for the semi-finals of this season's FAI Ford Cup

Sporting Fingal are through to the semi-finals of the FAI Ford Cup after a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght.

Alan Kirby put Sporting ahead early on after a mistake from Aidan Price, but Stephen Bradley equalised from the penalty spot just after half-time.

In a tense extra period, Rovers' Craig Sives was sent-off before Kirby scored from the spot to put Sporting in front again.

Bradley had a chance to send the match to penalties but blazed the third penalty of the night over the bar in the 120th minute.

The defeat was Rovers' first in any competition since 19 May and ends their quest for a 25th FAI Cup title.

Sporting manager Liam Buckley opted to stick with the 11 players that had fought back to earn a draw on Saturday night, while Rovers introduced Alan Mannus and Stephen Bradley for Barry Murphy and Stephen Rice.

Rovers started with a purpose and Baker fired over on three minutes following good approach play by Barrett and Bradley.

However, they were knocked out of their stride on eight minutes following an error by Price, which Kirby punished to put Fingal ahead.

The Hoops centre-half fell over the ball 40 yards from goal to set Gary O'Neill free, and even though he was closed down, Kirby was on hand to tap home.

Bradley was denied an equaliser minutes later when Sporting goalkeeper Darren Quigley got down to push a curling free-kick around the post.

Sporting picked up where they left off on Saturday in the drawn game. They were more assured at the back and posed a real threat up front in the shape of O'Neill.

The visitors created several half chances, which, on another night, could have seen them out of sight by the break.

Shaun Williams wasted another good opportunity to double his side's advantage just before the half-time whistle. John Frost's cross found the midfielder unmarked in the box, but his header drifted tamely wide.

Rice replaced Shane Robinson in the Rovers midfield at half-time and Michael O'Neill used the break to good effect, as his team were level within 90 seconds of the restart.

Shane McFaul was adjudged to have fouled Ross Chisholm in the area. Bradley assumed the penalty responsibilities in Gary Twigg's absence and fired low beyond Quigley's right hand.

Chisholm went close to putting Rovers ahead on 67 minutes with a free-kick that whistled wide, although Quigley may have had it covered.

At the other end, Robert Bayly's goal-bound effort deflected wide off O'Neill's back as Mannus scrambled across goal. Seconds later, Kirby failed to reach O'Neill's cross.

With ten minutes to go, Quigley produced the save of the match to keep out an effort from Sives.

The game was moving quickly from end-to-end as both sides chased a winning goal.

Bayly was the next to go close, as he dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area.

Sporting looked the more likely to get a winner in normal time, but Rovers held on to send the tie to extra-time.

Rovers were reduced to ten men in the 107th minute when Sives was sent-off for a second bookable offence.

It appeared that the game was finally settled in the 115th minute when Pat Flynn was adjudged to have fouled Robbie Doyle and Kirby fired home the penalty.

However, in the dramatic dying moments, Sporting captain Stephen Paisley nudged Padriag Amond in the box and Richie Winter gave the spot-kick.

But Bradley could not repeat his feat of earlier in the game as his kick sailed over Quigley's crossbar as Fingal progressed.

Shamrock Rovers: 1 Mannus; 20 Flynn, 5 Price, 6 Sives, 14 Cahill; 7 Robinson (8 Rice h/t), 13 Chisholm, 10 Bradley, 11 O'Connor; 18 Baker (21 Amond '72), 22 Barrett (15 Treacy '108).
Subs not used: 1 Murphy, 2 Madden, 17 Johnston, 19 Cowan.
Booked: Sives. Sent-off: Sives.

Sporting Fingal: 1 Quigley; 2 Gannon, 5 Maher, 6 Paisley, 3 Frost; 7 C Byrne (17 Zayed '82), 8 Bayly (12 James '117), 4 Williams, 10 Kirby, 11 McFaul; 9 O'Neill (15 Doyle '88).
Subs not used: 14 P Byrne, 16 Foley, 18 Dawson, 20 Konopka.
Booked: Gannon

Referee: Richie Winter.

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