FAI CUP QUARTER-FINALS/Sporting Fingal 2 Shamrock Rovers 2:LIAM BUCKLEY was adamant that playing to their potential for the full 90 minutes in tomorrow night's replay will give Sporting Fingal every chance of completing an upset. A shock looked way beyond the First Division promotion contenders as they trailed 2-0 at half-time in Saturday's clash at Morton Stadium. But with Shaun Williams probing in midfield and Conan Byrne a threat on the right wing, Fingal admirably powered their way back into the game in the second half.
“We’ll look forward to it,” said Buckley, a former Rovers’ player and manager, of the replay.
“The pitch is a little bit bigger in Tallaght, which might help us. We just need to make sure we have some sort of performance like we did in the second half.”
Rovers’ captain Shane Robinson brought the game to life on 24 minutes when his free-kick came out after hitting both the home crossbar and post. Two superbly contrived goals inside three minutes then appeared to have Rovers in control. Ross Chisholm collected Robinson’s pass to thread a delightful ball through for Dessie Baker who showed good composure inside the area before shooting past Darren Quigley on 27 minutes.
If that was well-taken, the second goal was even better. Graham Barrett sent Robinson away down the right. His cross ran for Chisholm on the edge of the box and the Scot hit a crisp right foot shot to the roof of the net.
With nothing further to lose, Sporting came out and had a right go from the resumption. Shane McFaul’s sublime through ball found Williams who brought a terrific fingertip save from Barry Murphy within three minutes.
It was then game-on by the 54th minute when Sporting got a goal back. Robert Bayly sent Byrne off down the right wing and his low cross was superbly slotted home by the inrushing Williams.
Sporting then levelled five minutes later after Ollie Cahill gave away a needless free-kick for a foul on Byrne near the corner. Williams’ delivery had pace and precision to enable defender Shaun Maher to head home.
Brian Gannon cleared off the Sporting line from Seán O’Connor before Byrne raced clear from Williams’ pass at the other end to shoot into the side-netting.
Rovers might have won it with the last kick of the match in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but Quigley saved well from substitute Don Cowen.
“I don’t know if it was too much respect, but I just felt that we didn’t play in the first half,” said Buckley. “We just need to make sure we get beyond them and not always play in front of them. We did that in the second half with Conan down the right and I think we merited a draw.”
“You have to give credit to them. They played a lot better in the second half, but part of that was due to our own inadequacies,” said Rovers manager O’Neill.
“Two goals is always a dangerous lead in football. You go get the third goal, which we’d always encourage them to do, but when we lose a goal we do look fragile and that’s something that we’re hoping to address.”
SPORTING FINGAL: Quigley; Gannon, Maher, Paisley, Frost; Bayly (Foley, 90), McFaul, Williams; C. Byrne, O’Neill (Doyle, 83 mins), Kirby.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; Flynn, Sives, Price (Treacy, 62 mins), Cahill; Robinson, Chisholm, Rice, O’Connor; Barrett (Twigg, 66 mins), Baker (Cowen, 81 mins).
Referee: Richie Winter (Dublin).
