St Patrick's Athletic (1) - Longford Town (2)

Match Report

St Patrick's Athletic 1 - Longford Town 2

St Patrick's Athletic narrowly missed out on a Cup Quarter Final place to a gritty Longford Town side in a pulsating affair at the Stadium of Light.

In a mist-soaked Richmond Park, a full seven minutes injury time was played as referee Dick O'Hanlon from Waterford attempted to keep up with a tie that threatened to boil over on more than one occasion.

The problem that the visiting side now face is who to play in the next round as the foot-and-mouth crisis does not allow exclusion-zone located Dundalk to complete the one remaining third round tie.

It was Stephen Gavin who opened the scoring for the Town after a quarter of an hour but Pats came flowing back and a wonderful finish from Martin Russell on 31 minutes, after great work from Liam Kelly and Robbie Griffin, was richly deserved for Pat Dolan's Supersaints.

It was all to play for in the second half but Longford again struck when back from injury Keith O'Connor netted the winner after a goalmouth scramble on the hour.

Despite numerous goal-line clearances and a spirited fightback, Pats could not find an equaliser and the eircom League Cup Champions will now focus on the League once again and their strong European ambitions.