Late penalty sends Glenhest into next round

CALOR GAS SUPER CUP

Kiltimagh Knock United 1
Conroy 13

Glenhest Rovers 2

Breslin 26, McCarthy 108

(After extra time)

Knock

WITH this cup-tie heading for a penalty shoot-out it was ironic that a penalty, two minutes from the end of extra time, decided it.

Both sides had chances to win this one in normal time. Glenhest could have gone in at the break 3-1 up. Kiltimagh Knock United (KKU) had the chances in the second half. But the sides couldn’t be separated until Dan Duffy was red-carded for handball in the box, for ‘denying a clear goal scoring opportunity.’ Glenhest marksman, Connor McCarthy stepped up and drove the ball past Niall Walshe, in the KKU goal, to send the visitors into the quarter-finals of the Calor Super Cup.

Lorcan Conroy put KKU in front on 13 minutes when he got on the end of a pass from Robert Jordan, cut inside, and finished expertly. Glenhest pushed forward after this wake-up call, and took the game to their hosts. Cathal Breslin equalised on 26, when he finished a good move involving McCarthy and Mark Forrrestal. Breslin and Shane Finnerty had chances but couldn’t finish and the best chance of the evening fell to Paul McLoughlin whose header went over, when scoring seemed easier.

McCarthy hit the post for Glenhest immediately after the restart, but KKU dominated the second half and should have settled matters long before extra time was signalled. Chances fell to Ethan Hosty, Ronan Malee and Robert Jordan – who was outstanding in the middle for KKU. Matthew Leadbetter was unlucky and Liam McCormack should have scored. Conroy, too, fired wide. McCarthy had a couple over for Glenhest.

Extra time was evenly contested until McCarthy sealed it, to send Glenhest through.

Veteran, Shane Loftus, put in a man of the match performance at left back, for Glenhest. McLoughlin and McCarthy were excellent too. Jordan and Brian Gallagher were best for the hosts.

Full report, images and reaction in Tuesday’s Mayo News Sport.