Healy's bold gamble ends in heartbreak as Rovers prove too strong

After scripting Kerry's greatest Cup upset against Sligo Rovers, Colin Healy's men ran out of miracles as Shamrock Rovers' experience and firepower carry them through to FAI Cup final.

CHASING THE DOUBLE: Shamrock Rover's Michael Noonan, left, celebrates with teammate Graham Burke. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

FAI Cup semi-final: Shamrock Rovers 6 (Burke 18,22, Noonan 45+3, 67, Watts 50 (P), Barrett 90+1) Kerry FC 1 (Adams 56 (P))

Colin Healy made an early substitution in the FA Cup quarter-final win against Sligo Rovers that led to the biggest scalp in Kerry’s short history.

Cian Brosnan was instrumental in overturning a three-goal deficit as the substitute scored twice in the epic 4-3 extra-time triumph.

Once again trailing by two goals against a Rovers team, the Kerry manager made the bold call to hook a starter to chase glory, this time for a place in the Cup final against Munster rivals Cork City at Lansdowne Road on November 9.

Samuel Aladesanusi was the chosen game-changer on this occasion but his function centred on shoring up a porous defence that Graham Burke twice breached twice in four minutes after a scoreless opening 18.

Burke was blessed to only receive a booking when he shoved Joe Adams to the ground after a half hour, influencing the decision to haul him off at half-time.

Healy is close to his Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley but they differed on the game’s flashpoint.

“Burke was brilliant but should have been sent off,” said former Cork City chief Healy.

“Stephen is only playing that up (to the media). Don’t be listening to that, I’m telling you.

“I’m not going to say it would have changed the outcome because of the quality Rovers have but the decision should have been made.

“We’re probably not going to get those decisions here at Shamrock Rovers.” 

Rovers are the most successful club in the country, 21 Premier titles and 25 FAI Cups on their honours list.

They were 30 seconds from clinching their 22nd title approaching the 6pm kick-off until Michael Duffy’s goal deep into stoppage time meant Derry City can, mathematically at least, still usurp them on the run-in.

That’s an implausible scenario, for Rovers require just a point from 15, starting with Friday’s visit of a Shelbourne side that last year denied them a fifth crown on the spin.

Once that’s bagged, there’s a first double since 1987 to aim for when they meet City in a top against bottom Cup final.

Burke and Danny Mandroiu have both been part of Ireland squads and were kept in reserve for the Hoops’ opening game of their latest Europa League phase on Thursday.

Sparta Prague are Champions League regulars and carried too much power in the Czech Republic to run out 4-1 victors.

There was a similar chasm here between teams operating in different tiers, yet the biggest cheer from within the crowd of 5,438 was heard from the 1,200 in the away section when Joe Adams smashed his penalty beyond Ed McGinty.

That response in the 56th minute made it 4-1 but there wouldn’t be any comeback to trump what the Kingdom achieved against Sligo.

Burke turned 32 last week and is enjoying the twilight of his career but in succession is Michael Noonan who celebrated his 17th birthday in July.

He replicated Burke’s brace, his second a piece of nonchalant brilliance to complete the regain the four-goal cushion at 5-1.

There were still 25 minutes left and Kerry held out until stoppage time when their former loanee Cian Barrett slotted home an incisive cross from Kerryman O’Neill.

Both players were introduced with 25 minutes left, underlining the depth of squad options available to Bradley.

He's circled Burke as his player of the season and he was the one to break Kerry’s resistance, flicking the ball beyond Darragh Foley from close-range following neat interplay between Adam Matthews and Noonan.

Four minutes later and Kerry’s worst fears were realised. Burke inflicted the damage again, this time on his right foot from Mandroiu’s centre.

Noonan’s downward header in first-half stoppage time killed the tie as a contest, whatever romanticists thought about a sequel to Sligo, and five minutes after the break, Dylan Watts lofted a penalty into the top corner when Odhran Crowe dragged Noonan down from a corner.

David Okwute was the Kerry hero of the last round and he earned the penalty off a late Pico Lopes challenge which Adams drilled home.

Kerry are in just their third year of existence and further goals from Noonan and Barrett indicated the gaps for the football team to emulate the GAA’s national supremacy.

“The club has grown quickly,” said Healy. “To get so many kids up for a 6pm kick-off is fantastic but the owner John Wall and Billy Dennehy put on free buses.

“It’s a special club that will get bigger and I’m delighted to be part of it.” 

SHAMROCK ROVERS: E McGinty; D Cleary (G O’Neill 65), R Lopes, C O’Sullivan; A Matthews, M Healy (C Malley 65), D Watts, J Honohan (C Barrett 65); D Mandroiu (S Kavanagh 46), G Burke (R Gaffney 46); M Noonan.

KERRY: D Foley; F Barrett, C McQueen, N Brookwell, S O’Connell; R Cleary (A Healy 60), O Crowe, C Mujaguzi (S Aladesanusi 30), R Teahan, J Adams (C Brosnan 60); D Okwute (S McGrath 77).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).

Attendance: 5438.