Saint Patrick's Athletic are one game away from another Sports Direct Men's FAI Cup final appearance after breaking the hearts of a defiant Galway United in a 3-1 extra-time victory in the Dublin rain.
Whistler Paul McLaughlin had a scatter of tough calls to make and one of them became the decision to send Killian Brouder off at the end of the first half of extra time, but that he did and Chris Forrester's free-kick that resulted had former Saint Brendan Clarke rooted to the ground.
Some Jake Mulraney magic looked to have decided an old-fashioned Cup tie by the Camac – before a deflected effort from the excellent David Hurley forced extra time.
Mulraney, whose set-piece quality was once described as "world-class" by Damien Duff, slotted the ball into the bottom corner of Clarke's net with seven minutes to go, only for Hurley to force an extra 30 minutes that ensured nobody was leaving this old ground.
And, after Brouder's sending off, United had it all to do, with substitute Jordon Garrick's strike five minutes from the eventual end easing any nerves Pat's had.
With United as a club still recovering from the tragic loss of Ollie Horgan, they were full of endeavour at a ground at which they've a poor record in recent years – but ultimately the class of Forrester, Mulraney and Mason Melia decided the matter in Inchicore.
In blustery conditions, the sun in the eyes of some of the players, this was a game that took a long time to rise into action, but it became rivetting as half-time approached.
Pat's faced a stiff wind and struggled to get their passing game going, with Brandon Kavanagh, Forrester and Joe Redmond all guilty of poor passes in a two-minute spell as United grew into the game before the first meaningful Pat's chance on 25 minutes.
Melia was struggling to get into any sort of dangerous position but he outmuscled Brouder and ran dangerously at the United rearguard, only for Jeannot Esua to block his run and see the ball dribble out. It would not be that pair's last coming together.
Mulraney is often harshly criticised for being quiet in games, but he was dangerous when the game opened up and, from his fine wing play, the ball eventually fell to Kavanagh on the half-hour mark, but Esua blocked it out from a corner.
Though Pat's were now on top, they were caught from a corner where United did everything bar score. Hickey found Dara McGuinness, who expertly teed up Jimmy Keohane, but his effort was blocked by the left foot of Joseph Anang from around ten yards. He ought to have scored – but Anang deserves praise for stopping it.
Galway United almost break the deadlock from a quick counter but St Pat's keeper Joseph Anang makes the save
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Melia is a Tottenham-bound kid about whom much has been written and is expected, but he needs to learn from the madness of his challenge on Esua just before the break, so late and strong that John Caulfield lost his composure.
There was no VAR to tell referee McLaughlin what to do and, perhaps on the balance of things, a yellow was the correct call.
Like Brouder at the other end, Ryan McLaughlin emerged for the second half with a head bandaged after a late collision with Hickey – this was becoming a proper Cup tie – though the Belfast native would not last long.
Melia found space on the restart to set up Mulraney, who took aim at Bobby Burns and flashed a cross beyond everyone.
However, United were well up for this, and McGuinness took a little too long to strike at goal after a beautiful ball from Hurley.
Then Hurley pinged in a corner, with Anang all at sea, but Pat's cleared.
On the hour-mark, we had the nicest bit of skill in the game, with Forrester finding Mulraney from a beautiful pass; Mulraney raced through on goal but blazed over.
Shortly afterwards, Pat's should have had a penalty when Melia was pulled to the ground by Garry Buckley. Luckily for United, referee McLaughlin – like many in the ground – did not see it, but TV replays were clear.
After a succession of corners, Melia headed off Hickey, with Pat's fans appealing that it hit his hand with ten minutes to go.
Then Hickey nodded down to McGuinness, who worked so hard all evening, but he skied his chance – one of the best ones United had. And Hickey's header at the back post after more excellent play from Hurley had Anang stretching, United looking for a late winner – only to fall behind with the next attack.
Mulraney got the ball right on the paint at the edge of the box after being fed by Simon Power. He does nearly everything with his left foot but his right is no dud and, with United's packed defence unable to get in a block, he found the bottom corner with a strike of rare class.
It looked like United's efforts were for nothing but Hurley – the best player wearing maroon, perhaps on the pitch – got a bit of luck at the start of injury time. A long throw meandered towards him and his effort just outside the box evaded Anang, thanks partly to Jamie Lennon's deflection.
Pat's forced yet more corners and Melia twice threatened to get a winner his own efforts merited – but extra time it was.
United began the extra half an hour fired up. Buckley half-volleyed the ball across the box to Hickey, who did remarkably well to fashion a scissors kick and force Anang to parry out for a corner, from which the Ghana stopper again had to work to keep out a Buckley header.
At the other end, Hurley had to clear at the back post from a dangerous Pat's free-kick, but Melia looked sure to score nine minutes in. McClelland's delivery from another free-kick was perfection but Melia headed wide when he should probably have done more.
As the rain began to fall in Inchicore, the drama was relentless. McClelland was hugely influential since coming on and, the ball having bounced beautifully for him on 112 minutes, his shot was blocked, only for Melia to compose himself and drive the rebound over the bar.
Slevin worked Anang from another set-piece before the decisive moment of a pretty breathtaking first 15 minutes of extra time. McClelland fizzed the ball at Melia, whose first touch was off the charts; he ran at goal, if slightly away from it, but McLaughlin had a decision to make when Brouder tripped him – and he reached for the back pocket.
One could sense immediately as Forrester sized up the free-kick what he was going to try to do – get it over the wall and go for the near post – and he pulled it off, in the way few players but Chris Forrester can do.
Substitute Garrick was lively and his curler five minutes from the end ensured the end of any worries for Saints manager Stephen Kenny.
Another sub, Conor Carty, found the butt of the post as United prayed for the end.
Caulfield was irate, having words with McLaughlin, perhaps sensing that his last chance of bringing United to an FAI Cup final had gone.
Saint Patrick's: Joseph Anang; Al-Amin Kazeem (Jason McClelland 58), Joe Redmond, Luke Turner, Ryan McLaughlin (Axel Sjoberg 54); Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon, Kian Leavy (Darren Robinson 87); Jake Mulraney (Jordan Garrick 100), Mason Melia (Conor Carty 118), Brandon Kavanagh (Simon Power 58).
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Esua, Garry Buckley, Killian Brouder, Bobby Burns (Rob Slevin 68); Patrick Hickey (Stephen Walsh 118), David Hurley (Vince Borden 100), Jimmy Keohane, Aaron Bolger (Conor McCormack 67, Axel Piesold 97); Ed McCarthy (Jeremy Sivi 80), Dara McGuinness (Malcolm Shaw 116).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
