St Patrick's Athletic (2) - Sporting Fingal (0)

St Patrick's Athletic 2 - Sporting Fingal 0

It may have underwent a shiny new rebranding earlier in the day, but it was the old fashioned UEFA Cup that was occupying minds at Inchicore last night.

But before Berlin came the bread and butter, and a solid win over Sporting Fingal in this FAI Ford Cup quarter-final replay thanks to Mark Quigley and Glen Fitzpatrick goals either side of half time.

St Pat's have a love-hate relationship with the blue ribband but it now represents their main chance of silverware this season, and this win puts them into the semi-finals of the Cup they last won in 1961.

The untimely death of former Saints assistant manager Noel O'Reilly will cast a shadow over one of the most exciting weeks in the history of the club and would no doubt have saddened the managers of both teams here as both Liam Buckley and John McDonnell played under O'Reilly during Brian Kerr's era at Inchicore.

Sporting goalkeeper Steve Williams warmed up for a busy night on six minutes when he denied Ryan Guy's back-post header and 10 minutes later Keith Fahey came on to the ball outside the box and, with little on, launched a spectacular scissor kick goalward only for the Welshman to tip it over.

Fahey was finding his passing range and one perfect raking pass found Guy in the box and Williams did well to stop his first-time effort.

Fingal's impressive winger Conan Byrne then embarked on a solo run that took him past three defenders before he launched a dipping drive goalward only for Ryan to acrobatically deny him.

Something had to give and although there seemed to be little on when Dessie Byrne passed to Quigley on 41 minutes, the striker launched an unstoppable effort from the edge of the box with the outside of his right foot that found the top corner.

After his stellar display before the break, Williams will rue his contribution in the goal that sealed it for the Saints.

The former Shelbourne stopper allowed Alan Kirby's cross to float over his head and Fitzpatrick stole in to head into the empty net and seal the win for Saints.

© Irish Independent

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St Patrick's Athletic 2 - Sporting Fingal 0

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