FAI Cup: Waterford through on penalties after eight-goal thriller

George Forrest thought he had won it for the Blues in the second minute of added time but there was another twist

Athlone Town 4 Waterford FC 4 (Waterford win 4-2 on penalties)

Waterford FC progressed in the second round of the FAI Cup after a crazy contest with Athlone Town ended in a 4-4 draw after extra time with Blues keeper Paul Martin the hero saving twice in the shootout as his side won 4-2 on spot kicks. Anthony Wordsworth gave Waterford the lead on 40 minutes before Shane Griffin rifled home a second.

A Glen McCauley penalty halved the deficit before Athlone drew level 84 minutes through substitute Stephen Meany, before they sensationally struck the front a minute from time from another McCauley spot-kick after Darragh Power handled, but there was another dramatic twist as new Blues signing Greg Halford headed home a Griffin corner.

George Forrest thought he had won it for the Blues in the second minute of added time when he bundled home a Shane Griffin corner, but Glen McCauley notched his hat-trick when spotting Martin off his line to score from inside his own half to send the game to penalties.

ATHLONE TOWN: Rice, Friel (O’Sullivan ‘102), Daly (Duffy ’72), Comerford, McKenna (Tiou ‘120), Hollywood (Meany ’72), Reynolds, Brookes (Cantwell ’61), Barnes (McCann ’72), McCauley, Hand.

WATERFORD FC: P. Martin, Power (Sobowale ‘102), Evans, Forrest, Nolan, Milambo (Halford ’51), Griffin, Wordsworth, Quitirna (Hutchison ’76), J. Martin, Kavanagh (Tshipamba ’81).

Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo).