Saints clinch home semi-final place
Monday 2nd April 2007, 10:23 pm
Darragh Maguire, Saint Patrick's Athletic.
Photo by Tom Carey.
2nd April 2007
Setanta Sports Cup Group 2
St. Patrick's Athletic 1
Darragh Maguire 27
Cork City 0
Richmond Park
Saint Patrick's Athletic clinched group 2 of the Setanta Sports Cup tonight after a 1-0 win over Cork City at Richmond Park, Inchicore. The win confirms a home semi-final, probably against Drogheda United.
Darragh Maguire fired the only goal of the game to give Pats their eighth win from nine competitive games this season. Maguire's goal came on 27 minutes after Keith Fahey's corner kick came to him, lashing home at the second attempt.
Barring an unrealistic result in two week's time (a seven goal loss) against Dungannon at Turner's Cross, Cork will claim second place in the group and an away semi-final, most likely at Windsor Park against Linfield.
Keith Fahey had hit the Cork bar before the lead goal and although they looked shaky in the early going, Cork settled after going behind without every overly threatening the home side.
Gary O'Neill had shouts for a second half penalty waved away while Mark Quigley fluffed a good chance to build on Friday's hat-trick against Bray.
St. Patrick's Athletic : Ryan, Brennan, Frost, Mulcahy, Maguire, C Foley, Kirby, Ndo (Rooney 78), Fahey, O'Neill, M Quigley (O'Connor 89).
Cork City : Devine, Horgan, Ryan, Murray, Kelly (Cillian Lordan 89), O'Brien (Cathal Lordan 72), Gamble, Softic, Kearney, O'Donovan, Behan.
This week's fixtures
» Wednesday, 21st November
European Championship Qualifying Group D
Cyprus v Czech Rep
Germany v Wales
San Marino v Slovakia