Devon hit the spot to make quarter-finals
Fairview Rangers 1
Salthill Devon 1
(Devon won 4-1 on pens)
Mike Rafferty in Limerick
The most important thing from this game at the Fairgreen in Limerick on Sunday is that Salthill Devon won and as a result have secured a place in the quarter-final of the FAI Junior Cup.
How the outcome was achieved is another story as the visitors survived some turbulent times during the course of normal and extra time, before staking their survival on the lottery of a penalty shoot-out to dump the holders out of the competition.
Without a doubt the highlight of the afternoon came in a five-minute spell after the game in which Devon slotted home all four of their penalties, while Fairview missed two of theirs. The Limerick side are generally clinical with their penalty taking and the nine-time winners of the competition and holders of the trophy are well versed in the art of winning in this manner.
It was the Galway side who were first in line to take a spot kick and Timmy Molloy slotted it into the bottom corner. Fairview missed their first as Jeffrey Judge fired wide. Mikie Fox took his time and was composed as he too found the back of the net. Former Galway United captain Shane Duggan converted for the home side, before late substitute Lucas de Paula also slotted home for the visitors.
The pressure was on the home side and left-back Martin Deady was denied by a smashing save by Arek Mamala; and Vinny Faherty made it four from four from the spot to book Devon’s place in the quarter-finals.
The game itself certainly had its moments also, but the first-half was a big disappointment. The home side generally ran the show, with Duggan the orchestrator, but chances were sparse at both ends.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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