St Michael's bow out of FAI Junior Cup after defeat at Cooke Park in Tipperary
Wexford side North End progress after extra-time win
St Michael's' run in the FAI Junior Cup came to an end at Cooke Park on Sunday when they lost 3-1 to Wexford team North End United after extra-time.
Ed O'Dwyer bundled the ball home to give Saints a 1-0 lead after six minutes andf they were still in front by that margin at half-time.
Jimmy Carr went close with a header on 52 minutes from a Russell Quirke corner kick and they went agonisingly close to doubling their lead five minutes later when Jimmy Carr got in a cross from the left and Ed O'Dwyer's header hit the crossbar and went over.
North End equalised after 67 minutes when a free kick landed on the head of Eoin Rhodes, who headed past Saints goalie Kuba Beben to make it 1-1.
With the scores deadlocked at the end of normal time, extra-time was needed to separate them.
After 97 minutes substitute Darby Purcell got a half-volley on a left wing cross and it went inside the far post to make it 2-1 to North End.
This was a huge blow to Saints, who to their credit threw everything at North End but left gaps at the back in the process and Kuba Beben did well to thwart Rhodes, who broke clear as the first period of extra time came to an end.
After 109 minutes Cillian Coonan failed to get a clearance on a long ball for Rhodes, who proceeded to beat Beben and seal a 3-1 victory for North End.
St Michael's were disappointed but will bounce back, with a domestic league and cup double to chase in south Tipperary.