Letterkenny Rovers advanced to the last 8 of the FAI Youth Cup after showing great resilience to somehow get the better of Waterford side Ballinroad on Saturday at the Aura Centre.
Huge roars of delight greeted a 2-0 win which looked a long way off as Ballinroad set about their task with a sense of purpose which threatened to steamroller Rovers in the opening quarter of an hour.
Big centre forward Michael O’Neill showed all the attributes of a big bustling striker and he should have put the visitors ahead on 8 minutes while the crossbar came to the rescue of Rovers after a fine Ryan O’Neill 25 yard drive.
Gavin Joyce also came close before a rare Rovers attack led to the opening goal against the run of play on 17 minutes.
A free kick by James Tourish caused some confusion in the box and in nipped birthday boy Tarlach O’Boyle who got a very slight touch to divert the ball past Aaron Beresford in the Ballinroad goal.
Ballinroad responded well and O’Neill again came close twice to equalising before halftime.
Rovers were far better in the second half and stuck to their task gamely and enjoyed longer periods of possession but the visitors still created a number of chances through O’Neill, Joyce and Oisin O’Mahony while David O’Donnell came close for the Cathedral Town men.
The introduction of Conor O’Donnell and Michael Gallagher on 70 minutes made a difference and gave Rovers some added width and it was young starlet Gallagher who was the architect of the insurance goal on 83 minutes – when doing well to scythe open a weak Ballinroad defence before finding Codey Brogan whos shot cannoned off Zach Gorman to wrongfoot Beresford and wrapped up the win over the shellshocked visitors who will wonder how they couldnt convert some easy chances while on top particularly in the opening period.
Rovers have now advanced against the odds to a quarter final clash and anxiously await the draw which could be made as early as Tuesday.
Letterkenny Rovers: Sean Friel; Calvin O’Brien,James Tourish, Eoghan Kelly, Ruairi Friel, David O’Donnell (Conor O’Donnell ’69), Sean Curran, Shane Doherty,Codey Brogan Tarlach O’Boyle (Michael Gallagher ’69); Zach Gorman;
Ballinroad: Aaron Beresford; James Beresford (Sean Whelan-Barrett ’82), Peter Quealy, Conor Whelan, Mark Boland; Gavin Joyce (Mark Allen ’82, Ryan O’Neill, Oisin O’Mahoney, Michael O’NeillTony Collins (Tom Looby ’73); Patrick Power.
Referee: Mick Lagan.
