Ayr after cup win
released Ian Devine who took a touch before sending a diagonal shot flashing narrowly wide.
The ‘Well were furious when referee Martin Hickey failed to award them a penalty for looked like a clear hand-ball by Ayrfield’s Oisin Kenny in the 33rd minute, but almost immediately a Cormac Reid free kick flew up off the all-weather surface and clipped Ayrfield goalscorer Ryan on the arm.
This time the match official pointed to the spot and up stepped John Kermode who showed nerves of steel as he dinked the ball down the centre as the goalkeeper dived to his right - rather like Andrea Pirlo’s penalty for Italy against England at Euro 2012.
Ayrfield won a couple of corners at the end of the first half, but Alan Ray’s effort was deflected behind by the outstanding Stephen Murphy and Michael Mooney flashed a header wide in the final seconds.
Burke drove an optimistic effort straight into the hands of Ayrfield netminder Daniel Henry just after the restart and the ‘Well looked comfortable until Mooney flashed a header narrowly wide.
With referee Hickey dishing out yellow cards a bit like confetti in what was a fiercely contested encounter, it was inevitable that he’d have to reach into his back pocket at some stage and on the hour mark it was Ayrfield centre-half Darren Brazil who earned a second booking and was dismissed.
Moments later McDonagh popped up from right-back and unleashed a 30-yard shot that had to be tipped over by Henry, and substitute Kevin Bull had a header deflected over the bar before Adam O’Connor fired a free kick into Ayrfield’s defensive wall.
Ray hooked the ball wide and Conor Young curled a free kick over the bar as 10-man Ayrfield pushed hard for an equaliser, but the ‘Well defended resolutely and on 88 minutes John Kermode converted a second penalty - this time in conventional fashion - after the referee penalised Kenny for a foul on Craig O’Connor.
Ayrfield were offered a glimmer of hope when they were awarded a 90th-minute penalty, only for Mooney’s kick to be saved by Brown, diving to his right, and the visitors’ misery was compounded when they had sub Conor Broderick sent off deep into stoppage time for a late tackle on Devine. NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown; Daryl McDonagh, Stephen Murphy, Paddy O’Boyle (Kevin Bull 67); Brian Kermode (Ryan Connor 82), Dean Carolan, Cormac Reid (Alan Murphy 82), Craig O’Connor; John Kermode; Ian Devine, Anto Burke (Adam O’Connor 67). Subs not used: Kenny Hurley, Ross Reid, Ciaran Carroll.