Glengad advanced to the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup as they beat Limerick’s Geraldines 4-2 on penalty kicks after playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw in North Donegal.
Glengad United 2 Geraldines FC 2 A.E.T (Glengad win 4-2 on penalties)
Report by Charlie Collins
Photos: North West Newspix
Goals from Terence Doherty and Paddy McDermott for Glengad and Karl Turner and Shane Byrne for Geraldines was enough to send the game for extra-time and penalty-kicks, despite Thomas O’Grady being sent off in the second half for the visiting side.
The opening 20 minutes was busily contested, as both outfits worked extremely hard to gain the advantage.
In doing so, Glengad and Geraldines effectively cancelled each other out – with very little being created midway through the first half.
However, after 22 minutes, the deadlock was finally broken following a quick counter-attacking play from the visitors.
Morgan Clancy created the opening as the Glengad defence got caught with a sublime through ball to Karl Turner, who made no mistake in front of goal, slotting low past Daniel Mularkey in goals.
Just before the half an hour mark, Glengad had their best opportunity of the first period. Mularkey provided an excellent long ball kick-out, catching the Geraldine defenders off guard, but it was all in vain as Stephen McLaughlin’s shot was deflected for a corner kick.
Glengad were the better side after conceding and they were getting chances of their own, but it wasn’t proving easy against a solid and well-organised defensive unit.
After 43 minutes, Connor Barrow and Michael Byrne linked up brilliantly with some nice interchange passes, with Barrow manoeuvring himself into the box, but his shot sailed just over.
You couldn’t fault the Geraldines defence, it was proving a real force, but goalkeeper Evan Moloney didn’t get the message as he parried a Glengad corner only as far as Terence Doherty, who blasted home to level the scoreline just before the interval.
In the second half, United continued their dominance with several clear-cut chances opening up for the North Donegal side.
However, it took until the 80th minute for Glengad to get their second of the match.
Matthew Byrne produced a superb pass for Terence Doherty, who was upended inside the box by Thomas O’Grady.
The Geraldine defender was given a straight red for his troubles, while Paddy McDermott converted the penalty kick without hesitation.
The game looked all but over, but as Geraldines pushed for an equaliser, Glengad failed to clear their lines in the final moments and substitute Shane Byrne produced a cracking volley to send the game for another 30 minutes.
In extra-time, Geraldines looked keen to take their chances on a penalty shoot-out, as wave after wave of attack was fired at them by the Inishowen side.
After, 100 minutes Terence Doherty’s effort from range deflected and spiralled towards the Geraldine goal, but Moloney did well to scramble across his area and send it for a corner kick.
However, the Limerick side held and United prepared themselves for penalty kicks.
Goalkeeper Kevin McLaughlin, known for his penalty-saving specialities, was brought on with two minutes to go for Mularkey.
The tactical substitution paid huge dividends for United as McLaughlin proved the hero, saving two penalty-kicks as his side scored four, sending Glengad into the next round.
Glengad United Squad: Daniel Mularkey, James McKinney, Seamus Doherty, John G McLaughlin, Matthew Byrne, Adam Byrne, Terence Doherty, Connor Barrow, John G Mc Dermott, Jason Doherty, Christy McLaughlin, Kevin McLaughlin
Geraldines FC Squad: Evan Moloney, Paul Fitzgerald, Shane Cox, Thomas O’Grady, Clifton Caney, Donie Carlin, Morgan Clancy, Dean McNamara, Karl Turner, Cian Byrnes, Ian O’Donoghue, Shane Byrne, Bobby Tier, Paul Campbell, Derke Hannon.
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