Cashel Town’s C. Fitzgerald takes on his Pike Rovers opponent A. Shinners during Saturday’s FAI Youths Cup quarter-final game played at Dixie Currivan Park, Cashel. Pic: Michael Boland
FAI Youths Cup Quarter-Final
CASHEL TOWN 1 PIKE ROVERS (Limerick) 2
Cashel Town’s youths suffered heartbreak for a second week in a row when they were knocked out of the FAI Youths Cup at the quarter final stage on Saturday by Limerick kingpins and competition favourites Pike Rovers.
Once again, this fine group of young players gave a great account of themselves, but were just pipped by the finest of margins.
The visitors came to Palmershill and started the brighter, but didn't really create any chances of note in the first quarter of the game.
The hosts finally started to get going and began pressing forward, but all their good work was undone in the 21st minute when a speculative shot from distance, deceived the home keeper to put the visitors in front.
This didn’t deter the home side and they stormed back in to the game, being unlucky not to equalise just after the half hour mark, when Cillian Fitzgerald was denied by a good save by the away keeper.
Early in the second half, Cashel Town kept pressing forward but failed to create much with both defences on top.
Fifteen minutes from time, the TSDL side finally got a gilt-edged chance to level the game, when they were awarded a penalty, and up stepped Blake Doyle Carroll, who coolly slotted the ball into the net.
But just five minutes later, Pike were awarded a penalty of their own, and Shane Franklin made no mistake from twelve yards out.
This left Cashel Town throwing everything bar the kitchen sink at their opponents to try to get back on level terms a second time, but the Limerick side defended superbly and took the spot in the semi-finals at the end much to the disappointment of the hosts.
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