McGuinness proves Cabo’s shoot-out hero
LONGFORD TOWN 1 CABINTEELY 1
AET – AGG 1-1, CABINTEELY WIN 3-1 ON PENS
STEPHEN McGUINNESS was the Cabinteely hero with three penalty saves in the shoot-out to put them into the playoff semi-final after the sides couldn’t be separated at City Calling Stadium.
Skipper McGuinness saved from Jack Doherty, Aaron Dobbs and Paul O’Conor before Rob Manley rifled in the winner from 12 yards. Cabinteely now meet Drogheda United with the first leg back at Stradbrook next week.
Longford blew a glorious chance to take the lead on six minutes when Dylan Grimes had his shot brilliantly cleared off the line by Eoin Massey. Cabinteely then snatched the lead on 18 minutes.
Lee Steacy did well to save from Manley and Marty Waters in turn. But his defenders were slow to react to the loose ball as Paul Fox drilled home.
Longford pressed hard and got the equaliser from a second successive corner on 41 minutes. Doherty’s delivery was met by Dobbs whose flick header gave McGuinness no chance.
Town were almost caught napping from a 68th-minute quick throw-in by Keith Dalton that found Fox who shot wide across goal. McGuinness produced the save of the game on 77 minutes, pushing Sam Verdon’s drive round a post. Dobbs had Town’s best chance in extra-time, heading straight at McGuinness from a Doherty free-kick.
LONGFORD TOWN – Steacy; Elworthy (Manley, 105), Kenna, McDonnell, Zambra; Doherty, O’Conor; Grimes (Hopkins, 76); Byrne (Verdon, 72), Evans (Dervin, 95); Dobbs.
CABINTEELY – McGuinness; Massey, Tuite, Keeley, Hudson; Dalton (Sasaki, 87), Manahan (Blackbyrne, 62), O’Neill (Barnes, 109), Fox; Manley, Waters (Clucas, 113).
REF – A Patchell (Dublin)