Holders St Michael’s advanced to the last 16 stage of the Munster Junior Cup on Saturday after a hard fought 4-3 victory against St Mary’s of Cork.
Leading 4-1, and cruising towards the next round, St Michael’s uncharacteristically allowed their opponents to score two late goals, ensuring a nervy ending for Saints supporters.
The visitors started well and almost took the lead in the seventh minute when David Slattery had an attempt cleared off the line. But within four minutes they had breached the home sides rearguard and took the lead when a good one-two between Slattery and Willie Armshaw saw the latter speed into the area and finish to the net.
Saints were moving the ball well but the hosts slowly clawed their way back into the game and had some chances that the TS&DL champions did well to clear. However right on the stroke of half time the home side equalised when a St Mary’s forward was given a free header at the back post and he made no mistake. It only took one minute of the second half however to restore the champions lead when they were awarded a penalty and Jimmy Carr stepped up to blast home from the spot. Two became three ten minutes later when a long kick out from Derek Breen freed Gavin Dillon on the left and his cross saw Jimmy Carr score from close range. And on sixty five minutes it looked done and dusted when the Tipperary side went four goals to one in front after an own goal.
But the home side didn’t give up and pulled a goal back 10 minutes from the end when a mix up in the St Michael’s defence saw Daniel Gethings made it 4-2, and the deficit was then reduced to the minimum six minutes from time when John Paul O’Sullivan hit a cracker from all of twenty five yards out. But this roused the champions defence back into action and they shut up shop to see out the game.
