Pieterse the hero in Hoops’ win

Goalkeeper Reyaard Pieterse was the hero with two brilliant penalty saves in the shoot-out as Rovers advanced to the semi-finals of the EA Sports Cup.

Wed, 27 Jun, 2012 - 01:00

St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Shamrock Rovers 1(aet, Rovers win 4-2 on penalties) Paul Buttner and Michael McGarry

The South African saved penalties from James Chambers and Ian Daly. Conor McCormack scored a crucial spot kick as Rovers won the shootout 4-2.

Killian Brennan’s superb free kick gave the Hoops the lead on six minutes. Pat’s levelled on 27 minutes through Sean O’Connor’s far post header from Pat Flynn’s delivery.

ST PAT’S: Murphy; Flynn, Kenna (O‘Brien, 90), Price (Browne, 78), Carroll; Russell, Chambers, Bolger; J. Kelly (Forrester, 54), Daly, O’Connor.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pieterse; Gilbert, Sives, Hawkins, Powell; Turner (McCormack 110), Rice, O’Donnell, Brennan (McCabe 78); Greene, O’Neill (Twigg 88). Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).

Sligo Rovers4Derry City0

Rampant Sligo Rovers advanced with a 4-0 win over the 10-man Derry at the Showgrounds last night.

Raffaele Cretaro broke the deadlock on 50 minutes. On 77 minutes Derry sub Ryan McBride was sent off after bringing down Cretaro. Derry keeper Eugene Ferry saved North’s resultant penalty kick but North blasted home the follow-up. Cretaro made it 3-0 in the 82nd minute and North scored his second in the 85th minute.

SLIGO: Rogers, Davoren, Peers, Ventre, Boco, Cretaro, Gaynor (Millien 74), Ndo (Lynch 81), McGuinness (Dillon 24), Cawley, North.

DERRY CITY: Ferry, McCaffrey, Greacen (McBride 59), S McEleney, Higgins, McDaid, P McEleney, Patterson, McLoughlin, Madden, Morrison (Curran 83).

Referee: Robert Rogers, Dublin.