Levingston goal seals quarter-final spot of Wexford
QUARTER-FINAL: Wexford FC are through to the Sports Direct FAI Cup quarterfinal.
A first half strike from Darragh Levingston edged Wexford through to the quarter-finals of the Sports Direct FAI Cup.
But two-time cup winner James Keddy’s First Division play-off hopefuls had to work hard to get their name in the bowl for Tuesday’s last-eight draw against second tier Leinster Senior League side St Patrick’s at a sun-drenched Irishtown Stadium.
As expected, Wexford dominated much of the ball from the kick off, Aaron Dobbs volleying wide bringing their first shot in anger after 13 minutes.
That said, ably marshalled by John Johnston, St Patrick’s remained well-organised and solid at the back until Wexford broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval.
A defensive header dropped for Kian Corbally who skilfully laid the ball off for fellow midfielder Levingston to find the bottom corner of Peter Quinlan’s net with a crisply struck half-volley from the edge of the area.
St Patrick’s almost hit back within a minute, Dean Kelly unable to get enough purchase on his close-range effort to beat Owen Mason in the visitors’ goal after Wexford failed to deal with a Curtis Murphy free kick.
In a repeat pattern of the first half, chances were few and far between from the restart as the game continued to struggle to really spark to life.
A promising move by Wexford, instigated by James Crawford and substitute Eoin Kenny, sons of Republic of Ireland under-21 and senior managers Jim and Stephen respectively, presented an opening for Corbally just past the hour mark, but he scuffed his shot wide across goal.
St Patrick’s were then close to forcing extra-time with their best chance of the game on 89 minutes.
A long throw found substitute Sean Dowling whose shot was blocked; Johnston drilling the follow-up agonisingly wide.
Quinlan; Blake (Ellis, 68), Weafer-Joyce, Johnston, J. Barr (Dowling, 76); Hanrahan (A. Gregg, 59), Heffernan, Murphy (Alvarez, 76), Kelly (Healy, 68); J. Gregg, N. Barr.
: Mason; Webb, O’Malley, Browne, Crawford; D. Levingston (C. Levingston, 90+1), Boyle, Corbally (Doran, 76), Piper; Furlong (Kenny, 57), Dobbs (Oluwa, 90+1).
Adrian Reale (Kildare).
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