IrishFootballOnline.com » The unofficial and Independent Irish Football website.

Saints snatch quarter-final place at the death

Friday 17th August 2007, 9:47 pm

Saint Patrick's Athletic celebrate Keith Fahey's (bottom of the pile) late winner.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Keith Fahey drilled home a low effort from just inside the box to break Bray hearts and give Saint Patrick's Athletic a place in the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup.

The Saints included Joseph Ndo and Fahey in their starting line-up for a very attacking looking side. Bray meanwhile looked less than sharp up front, clearly suffering without the injured Paul Dunphy.

In a lively encounter, both sides played decent football and Clive Delaney had to slide away an early break by Keith Barker. Just after the tenth minute Bray keeper Steve Williams made a good save to deny Fahey.

Just before that save Barry Ryan had to make a save of his own at the other end from James O'Shea after a great run through the middle by Stephen Fox created the opening.

The lead goal came on 14 minutes when Mark Quigley swivelled in the box to turn home superbly from Keith Fahey's free kick.

Joseph Ndo evades the challenge of Gary McCabe.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Having been left out for the second week in a row following a rumoured behind the scenes bust-up, Anthony Murphy got in on the action midway through the first half - replacing the injured Michael Foley.

To put it mildly Murphy had an interesting night and almost created a second goal in the closing ten minutes of the half. He drilled in a low cross from the right and although Gary Cronin got a boot to turn it behind, the Bray defender was never sure where the ball was really going.

Bray finished the half well however and Gary McCabe forced a save a good break forward although he might have been better off picking out a team-mate rather than firing in a tame shot.

O'Shea would fire a long range shot well off target before the break arrived.

Murphy picked up a booking around the hour for a foul out wide and Bray came close to levelling as Alan Cawley's floated free kick drifted through the box.

Delaney forced a save with a volley while Ndo was solid if not spectacular in the Saints midfield. The former Cameroon international tried his luck from almost halfway but was no-where near troubling former team-mate Williams.

Fahey broke into the box fifteen minutes from the end but Delaney was again quick to block at the near post.

Clive Delaney and Keith Barker chase for possession.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Delaney's performance would eventually see him named as man of the match against one of his former clubs and his equaliser ten minutes from the end surely swayed the decision.

The Bray skipper got the vital touch to force the ball home after Cawley's corner had bounced around in front of the visitors' goal.

It was huge blow for the Saints who had never seemed content to sit on their lead, even returning striker Gary O'Neill to action after injury.

Murphy thought he had snatched the winner just a couple of minutes after the equaliser but was contentiously ruled offside. Fahey's quickly taken free kick had played in Billy Gibson and his driven low cross was turned in by Murphy at the back post only for a flag to rule it out.

Keith Fahey in a midfield tussle for the ball with James O'Shea.

Photo by Tom Carey.

However, the Saints chances of winning on the night seemed gone when Murphy was booked after handling near halfway. Referee Anthony Buttimer seemed content to allow play to continue but on the advice from his assistant, remembered he had already booked the Saints sub and flashed a red at the midfielder.

With a replay looking certain in Dublin on Tuesday night, the Saints worked the ball into the box. Fahey kept his shot low in a crowded box and once the ball hit the net with a helpful deflection the Saints had secured their last eight place.

Bray Wanderers : Williams, Cronin, Deans, Delaney, Gough (Georgescu 78), Cawley, Kavanagh, Fox, McCabe (Onmubiko 56), O'Shea, Duggan (Hurley 64).
St. Patrick's Athletic : Ryan, Gibson, Rogers, Paisley, Brennan, M Foley (Murphy 23), Ndo, Fahey, Kirby (Guy 88), Quigley, Barker (O'Neill 69).