Penalty feast as Dundalk advance
DUNDALK held their nerve to finally see off UCD 6-5 in a penalty shootout at Oriel Park on Easter Monday to book their place in the quarter-finals of the EA Sports Cup.
A 17th-minute strike from Gary O’Neill looked like causing a 14/1 upset for a long period of the game, but after Conor Clifford equalised for Stephen Kenny’s side 12 minutes from the end the Lilywhites eventually won through on spot kicks to book their place in the next round of a competition they last won in 2014.
It was Collie O’Neill’s team who started the brighter with O’Neill and Ben Hanrahan - son of former Dundalk favourite Peter - forcing early saves from Gabriel Sava.
The home side passed up a good opening of their own on the quarter hour mark when Ciaran Kilduff headed a Steven Kinsella corner over the bar from six yards out.
The Students then hit the front on 17 minutes when Hanrahan found space on the left to lay the ball back to the edge of the area where O’Neill steered a first-time shot past Sava.
As Dundalk struggled to get going, O’Neill then went close to doubling his side’s lead on 31 minutes when he curled a free kick around the wall only to see it beaten away by Sava.
Dundalk’s best chance of an equaliser before half-time came seven minutes later when Kilduff headed just wide after a good run and cross from the left by Stephen O’Donnell.
The home side did up the ante in the second half but for the most part could find no way past an inspired Niall Corbet in the UCD goal.
The goalkeeper was called into action just 28 seconds after the restart when he made a brilliant one-handed stop to deny Kilduff after he had been slipped in by Kinsella.
The Lilywhites continued to pile on the pressure and it looked like it had told when they were awarded a penalty on 65 minutes when Kinsella was taken down by Liam Scales. However, once again Corbet came to his side’s rescue by getting down low to his right to save Kilduff’s spot kick.
Mountney then had a fierce strike from distance beaten away by the ‘keeper on 70 minutes before Dane Massey headed just wide from the follow up cross.
Massey then turned provider a minute later when he broke on the left to cross to Thomas Stewart, who controlled the ball before seeing his acrobatic effort brilliantly turned around the post by Corbet.
Dundalk then had strong penalty appeals turned away on 72 minutes when Dean Tobin appeared to block a Kilduff effort with his hand in the six yard box.
Corbet then denied the home side again two minutes later when he blocked Stewart’s shot with his feet.
The equaliser would finally arrive on 76 minutes when Massey rolled a free kick on the left back to Clifford, who drilled to the net from 25 yards.
The home side had a number of chances to avoid extra-time after that but their best, from Massey, was blocked down by Josh Collins.
Dundalk continued to push forward in extra-time and were unlucky not to go ahead on 99 minutes when Sean Hoare’s header from Massey’s corner came back off the top of the crossbar.
Four minutes later Kinsella set Kilduff away with a superb pass but he could only fire straight at Corbet.
Two minutes after the turnaround McGrath had the ball in the net after Hoare headed down Massey’s corner to him to volley home but it was ruled out for an infringement.
Both sides then had chances to snatch it within seconds of each other three minutes from the end. Firstly, UCD sub Yousef Mahdy looked to be in on goal only to be denied by a superb Massey tackle. Then seconds later at the other end a superb lofted pass from Clifford played McGrath in only for the 20-year-old to flick his shot wide.
That meant penalties were required.
Massey, Clifford, Chris Shields, John Mountney and Stewart all found the net for Dundalk with O’Neill, Greg Sloggett, Liam Scales, Georgie Kelly and Josh Collins all replying for the Students to take the shoot-out to sudden death.
McGrath then held his nerve to make it 6-5 with Sava saving the follow-up spot kick from Mahdy to ensure Dundalk’s passage into the quarter-finals. DUNDALK: Sava 6; Dalton 7, Barrett 6 (Shields 61 7), Hoare 7, Ubaezuono 6 (Massey HT 8); Kinsella 7, O’Donnell 6 (McGrath HT 7), Clifford 7, Mountney 6; Stewart 6, Kilduff 6. Subs not used: Duffy, Hughes, Rice, Kelly. UCD: Corbet 8, Tobin 7, Scales 7, Collins 6, Coyne 6 (Osam 69 6); Manley 6 (Mahdy 114), Sloggett 6, O’Neill 7, Coughlan 6; Kelly 7, Hanrahan 6 (Kouogun 78 6). Subs not used: Crowley, Kavanagh, Ryan, Kearns.
REFEREE: Rob Harvey (Dublin)
The home side did up the ante in the second half, but for the most part could fine no way past an inspired Niall Corbet in the UCD goal.