Cup action might have dominated affairs in the SSE Airtricity League this weekend but there were still two games played in the Premier Division. St. Patrick’s Athletic have a new manager as they appointed former Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers midfielder Stephen O’Donnell. He oversaw a win in his first game in charge as his new side beat Finn Harps 2-1 in Finn Park. Nathan Boyle had given Harps the lead but two goals in two minutes in the second half gave St. Pat’s the win.
Darragh Markey with the first and Rhys McCabe with the second. New Cork City manager Neale Fenn is still waiting for his first win in charge of the Leesiders. On Friday night they travelled to Oriel Park to take on Dundalk who beat them 1-0. Georgie Kelly keeping up his recent good run of scoring as he got the winner in the 78th minute. Dundalk are now ten points clear at the top of the table.
Holders Dundalk were then back in action last night in the quarter-finals of the Extra i.e. FAI Cup. They travelled down to the Regional Sports Centre to take on Waterford. They won 3-1 with Daniel Kelly getting a hat-trick to secure their spot in the semi-final for the seventh time in eight seasons. Maxim Kouogun scored for Waterford.
Joining them in the draw for the semi-finals are the two Rovers. Sligo beat UCD 4-0 in the Showgrounds to reach the last four for the first time in six years. Ronan Coughlan, Regan Donelon and Niall Watson with three of the goals. The other was an own goal from UCD keeper Conor Kearns. Shamrock came from behind to beat Galway United 2-1 in Eamon Deacy Park.
Maurice Nugent gave Galway a first-half lead with Aaron Green equalising in the 54th minute. Lee Grace then got the winner in the 90th minute. There is one more game left to play as Crumlin United take on Bohemian FC on the 16th. That game had to be pushed back as Bohs were in action in the first round of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup.
They were drawn away to Airdrieonians in the Penny Cars Stadium and were beaten 3-2. Scott Allardice and Luke Wade-Slater scored for Bohs with Callum Gallagher getting two for Airdrieonians. Callum Smith got the winner thirteen minutes from time.
Waterford fared better in their clash. They beat Hearts Colts 3-1 in the Regional Sports Centre. Karolis Chvedukas, Alex Phelan and Regix Madika got their goals. Leon Watson with the goal for Hearts. Waterford will now be hoping for another home draw in the next round.
