Late heartbreak for Institute despite superb Irish Cup comeback

Institute 2

Loughgall 3

Institute’s Irish Cup hopes came to end at the first hurdle, as Loughgall sealed a narrow 3-2 win at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Tuesday night.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, the Kevn Deery’s men levelled the tie thanks to a Mikhail Kennedy brace, but Francis McCaffrey's late header meant it was the Premiership men who booked their place in the next round.

Loughgall got off to the perfect despite arriving late to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium when they took the lead inside the first minute.

A terrible mis-hit clearance by Berti Diau led to the ball only finding Alberto Balde Almanzar, and the winger easily skipped away from Caoimhin Porter before drilling the ball low into Gareth Muldoon's bottom right-hand corner.

Diau nearly made up for his mistake on 14 minutes but the big centre-back's header, from Cormac Burke's pass, which had Loughgall keeper Berraat Turker worried, sailed just wide.

‘Stute then suffered an injury set-back just before the half-hour mark with Shane Boyle coming on to replace Caoimhan Crossan, after the centre-back picked up a knock.

Minutes later Nathaniel Ferris had a half chance but his left-footed effort, while on the stretch was easily gathered at his near post by Muldoon.

In a game filled with action, a superb pass by Robert Mahon then released Almanzar just before the break but with only Muldoon to beat, the winger's close range shot was diverted over the bar by the out-rushing ‘Stute keeper.

However. ‘Stute’s task became even more difficult when the visitors doubled their advantage from the resulting corner as James Carroll turned the ball home from close range after the home side failed to clear the initial delivery.

Derry's side pulled a goal back on just before the hour mark as Stephen Doherty's lovely left footed inswinging corner caused problems in the Villagers’ six yard box and Mikhail Kennedy was on hand to scramble the ball home.

That changed the story of the game completely and to their credit, the home side equalised on 70 minutes as Carroll stupidly pulled substitute Padraig Lynch down inside the box. Referee Declan Hasson rightfully pointed to the penalty spot and Kennedy made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick, slotting the ball low in Turker's bottom left hand corner.

The visitors, who were second best for large parts of the second half, netted what turned out to be the winner when Conor McCloskey's right wing cross found Francis McCaffrey and his lovely glancing header sailed past Muldoon.

Institute went close twice in the closing stages; firstly Diau side-footed wide with the goal at his mercy then Rhys McDermott saw his drive tipped over by Turker.

Teams

Institute: Gareth Muldoon, Caoimhin Porter (Brendan McLaughlin 60), Berti Diau, Caoimhan Crossan (Shane Boyle 29), Rhys McDermott; Stephen Doherty (Brendan Barr 60), Cormac Burke (Gabriel Aduaka 60), Aidan Hegarty, Oisin Duffy (Padraig Duffy HT), Dean Brown; Mikhail Kennedy.

Loughgall:Berraat Turker, Jamie Rea, Ben Murdock (Conor McCloskey HT), Tiernan Kelly (Jordan Gibson 78), Nathaniel Ferris (Jay Boyd 85), Robbie Norton, Alberto Balde Almanzar, Robert Mahon (Lewis Francis HT), James Carroll, Adam Towe, Francis McCaffrey.

Referee: Declan Hassan