Salthill Devon’s FAI Junior Cup hopes end on red card

Salthill Devon 1

Mike Rafferty in Waterford

When your goalkeeper is sent off after just four minutes, all the best-laid plans in the world are shot to pieces and such was the scenario for Salthill Devon in Sunday’s FAI Junior Cup semi-final in Waterford.

There was no comeback from the shock dismissal, and with no reserve goalkeeper on the bench, an outfield replacement is never an adequate substitute and so it proved as the Galway League side found themselves three down at the break, before trying to stage a recovery of sorts on the resumption.

They certainly posted a fair challenge to the local side and a Mikey Fox goal just after the restart offered hopes of a comeback, but Villa just dropped numbers deep and then struck on the counter to add a fourth to kill off the contest.

The goals from Cian Browne (2) and Dean Walsh had Villa well in command at the break with a shell-shocked Devon really offering very little in the last third of the park.

However, this game is very difficult to compare in a like-for-like situation, as the dismissal took place so early and in that context, it really pulled the rug from under the feet of Devon. As a consequence, it took them a long time to get into the game, as the opening half appeared to pass them by in a daze.

Their second-half recovery was impressive for a while, but the margin was too great as a full recovery never looked to be on the cards. That is not to take way from the commitment of the players who gave their all, but the home side appeared content to hold what they had as their second-half tactic appeared to be one of containment rather than chasing more goals and leaving themselves exposed to a counter attack.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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