Dundalk prevail in EA Sports Cup thriller

EA SPORTS CUP holders Dundalk escaped elimination at the first hurdle after a penalty shootout win over St Patrick’s Athletic that followed an eight-goal thriller at Richmond Park.

Stephen Kenny’s side were seconds from going out but sub Dane Massey popped up with a 120th-minute header.

It capped a dramatic extra-time period where Saints defender Mick Leahy scored three goals on his debut – but just two for his own club.

After the sides shared four goals in normal time, debutant Leahy nodded the hosts in front before turning a Dylan Connolly cross into his own goal. He responded by getting forward to dispatch another set-piece that Massey eventually cancelled out.

Dundalk looked well in control at the break with a howler from Saints goalkeeper Tyson Farago allowing the otherwise wasteful Marco Tagbajumi to score inside three minutes. Ronan Murray added a second.

But Saints were improved by the introduction of Simon Madden with a brilliant Christy Fagan effort and a fortunate Graham Kelly attempt sending the game the distance.

The shootout went to sudden death with Tagbajumi firing home the winner in an 8-7 victory after Darragh Markey missed.

Elsewhere, Cobh Ramblers shocked Limerick with an injury-time winner from Ben O’Riordan at Market’s Field while Drogheda beat St Mochta’s 3-2 in their delayed first-round tie.