Ten-man Waterford rage at referee after being dumped out by Athlone

Dramatic extra-time clash at the RSC sees First Division side advance to quarter-final with officials at the centre of a storm

SEEING RED: Waterford FC manager Keith Long was enraged by the decisions of the match officials as his side exited the FAI Cup. Pic: INPHO

Waterford FC 2 Athlone Town 3 

A remarkable Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup 3rd round tie at the RSC saw Athlone Town shocked ten man Waterford FC as second-half extra-time substitute Peter McGregor headed a golden goal in injury-time as the Premier Division side were left reeling at referee David Dunne.

It was a game that saw the Dublin official steal the limelight from the two teams as he produced a straight red card to Waterford defender Darragh Leahy after an off-the-ball incident on 40 minutes before the hosts struck the front from the penalty spot.

Connor Parsons picked up the ball on the left before bursting into the area before been fouled by Dan McKenna, and Padraig Amond sent keeper Lee Axworthy the wrong way before Athlone levelled through a fortunate own goal on 78 minutes when Robbie McCourt diverted a ball into his own net.

Waterford thought that they had won it when Barry Baggley sent over a right-wing corner that was bundled over the line, but unbelievably, assistant referee Conor Fitzgibbon kept his flag down with Keith Long red carded for his reaction.

Padraig Amond thought that he had won the game for the Blues on 104 minutes when he turned home Ryan Burke’s shot from distance, but Aaron Connolly brought the visitors level on 116 minutes when scoring from close-range.

There was further drama in the final seconds when Kyle Robinson whipped in a left-wing cross that picked out the run of McGregor at the back post, and he squeezed a header past Louis Jones.

Elsewhere, a Cian Curtis brace either side of half-time helped Wexford FC into the quarter-finals against non-league Ballyfermot United. The Leinster Senior League outfit were undone 3-0, with Thomas Oluwa adding the late third for the visitors.

Waterford FC: Jones; Power, Radkowski, Leahy, Burke; Baggley (McCormack 99), McMenamy (McCourt 46), Glenfield; Pattisson (Evans 87), Amond, Parsons (Flynn 74).

Athlone Town: Axworthy; Duffy (Oakley 46), Hand, Rodriguez (McGregor 106), Torre; McKenna (van Geenen 99), Tetteh (Robinson 73), Byrne (Campion-Hinds 43) (McHugh 120), Gaxha; Ebbe, Connolly.

Referee: David Dunne (Dublin).