A serious neck injury to Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Barry Murphy marred a 3-2 win for Sligo Rovers in the second round of the FAI Ford Cup at Tolka Park.
Murphy was injured in the lead-up to Sligo’s third goal when he collided with Dean Lawrence. He received treatment for almost 15 minutes on the pitch before being taken to hospital.
Two goals from Fahrudin Kudozovic and another from Matthew Judge gave Sligo the win and a place in the next round.
Tadhg Purcell and Andy Myler were on the scoresheet for Shamrock Rovers in a game high on endeavour and excitement but lacking in skill or guile.
Purcell could have put his side in front after eight minutes but he failed to capitalise on a slip by Sean Kelly and headed wide.
Sligo should have learned their lesson but they were caught out again two minutes later. Dean Lawrence’s right wing cross found Purcell unmarked and he headed past Richard Brush from ten yards.
It was a scrappy opening half with both sides making plenty of errors. The Hoops were struggling to come to terms with the 5-3-2 formation employed by Pat Scully.
The narrow three-man midfield of the home side gave Sligo a one-man advantage in the middle and they capitalised on that superiority with an equaliser in the 24th minute.
Matthew Judge held off Glen Walsh and neatly found Kuduzovic as the home defence pushed up. The striker held his nerve to calmly finish past Barry Murphy.
Rovers were run ragged at this stage and Judge punished them again on 29 minutes with a strike that Murphy could only help on its way into the net.
Seamus Coleman then tested the reflexes of Murphy with a bending shot at the end of a 30-yard run. Murphy was called on again just before half-time when he denied Kuduzovic as the home defence was cut open once more.
Shamrock Rovers improved after the break but Murphy was once again needed to keep out a header from Gavin Peers.
The game turned in the space of two minutes midway through the second half.
On 65 minutes, the home side were rewarded for their increased work-rate as Andy Myler volleyed them level following good work from substitute Mark Langtry.
However, the clash between Murphy and defender Dean Lawrence gifted Kuduzovic the chance to put Sligo back in front as he rolled the ball into the empty net.
The long delay for the treatment to Murphy meant an additional 16 minutes of time were added on.
Kuduzovic could have wrapped up the win early on in injury-time but his 25-yard effort struck the crossbar. Substitute goalkeeper Stephen O’Brien then produced a fine save to keep out a shot from Kelly.
With this defeat, Shamrock Rovers’ 20-year quest for a 25th FAI Cup goes on.
Shamrock Rovers: Murphy (S O’Brien 78), Pender, G O’Brien, Ryan, Walsh (Duffy ’59), Barrett (Langtry ’42), Lawrence, Rowe, Cassidy, Myler, Purcell. Subs: Lyons, O’Connor, Kilduff.
Sligo Rovers: Brush Coleman, Kelly, Peers (Vasas ’90), McKenzie, O’Grady, Cash (Flannery ’85), Hughes, Manson, Judge (McCarthy ’85), Kudozovic. Subs: Arcaba, O’Boyle, Curran, Tierney.
Referee: Hugo Whoriskey.
