Last-gasp James spot on for brave Fingal
Sporting Fingal 3 St Pat's Athletic 3
St Pat's Alan Kirby slips inside Sporting Fingal's Chris Deans during last night's FAI Ford Cup quarter-final.
Friday September 12 2008
IT WAS a night of high drama and it could turn out to be a night of high consequence for St Patrick's Athletic.
As well as conceding a last minute equaliser in this FAI Ford Cup quarter-final, John McDonnell watched another of his star players, Mark Quigley, limp out injured to join Keith Fahey on the doubtful list for their UEFA Cup trip to Hertha Berlin next week.
Things then went from bad to worse for the Saints as Colm James' injury-time penalty levelled things up for Liam Buckley's brave Sporting Fingal side after Pat's seemed destined for victory after a stunning first-half comeback.
A paltry crowd gathered but the 933 who did turn out were treated to a goal-fest of an opening 45 minutes.
A howler in the Saints' back line handed Fingal a shock lead after six minutes when Joe O Cearuill lost possession after turning sloppily into Robbie Doyle.
The challenge of the Fingal front-man was enough for his strike partner Peter Hynes to steal the ball, turn inside and fire a low strike into the via the post and Saints' goalkeeper Barry Ryan.
The boisterous home fans chanted like a boys choir, and looked about as old, and in the biggest game in their short history they were treated to another goal when Philip Byrne met his namesake Conan's corner with a thundering header past the stranded Ryan.
With their league title aspirations down the tubes, Pat's had a lot more to play for than they showed but they got an easy route back into the match on 35 minutes.
Brian Gannon's attempted headed clearance fell right to the feet of Gary Dempsey who teed up Quigley up to tuck home a precise finish.
Seven minutes later, Quigley was given the chance to level things up after Chris Deans handled in the box and the Saints hitman slotted it coolly past the outstretched hand of Steve Williams.
And the comeback was complete just nine minutes after it began when Gary Dempsey slammed home the easiest of finishes.
It seemed all over when Fingal striker Doyle was sent off for a rash challenge on Quigley just a minute before the end, but with virtually the last kick of the game, James smashed home a superb penalty to complete the upset.
Sporting Fingal -- Williams, Tyrrell, Deans, P Byrne, Gannon; Byrne (Corcoran 86), James, McArdle (Morrisroe 68), Caffrey (Crawford 83); Hynes, Doyle.
St Patrick's Athletic -- Barry Ryan, Byrne, O'Cearuill, Harris, Lynch; Guy, Dempsey, Bialek, Kirby; O'Neill (Fitzpatrick 72), Quigley (Partridge 90).
Ref -- D McKeon (Meath).
- Neil Ahern
