Understrength St Michael's keep Tipperary flag flying in FAI Senior Cup

FAI Senior Cup Preliminary Round

ST MICHAEL'S 2 BALLYNANTY ROVERS 1

Both these Junior teams played understrength sides when they met in the preliminary round of this years FAI Senior Cup tie at Cooke Park, on Sunday afternoon, with the home side finally progressing by the odd goal in three.

With bigger fish to fry in upcoming games, the sides seemed flat and lifeless for much of the first half, with the Saints probably shading it in terms of chances in the first quarter of the game. They had half chances through Paul Breen and Rodrigo Goncalves, before they finally opened their account just after the half hour, when Rhys Byron was brought down and from the resultant free kick Adam McGrath found the corner of the net to the delight of the home support.

Byron then fired over the bar two minutes before the break, and at the other end a shot from Cathal Fitzgerald went wide of goal, the best chance the Limerick side produced in a poor first half.

Veteran defender Paul Breen again went close again with a header just before the hour mark, and his side finally added their second in the 63rd minute, Rovers keeper Colin Lynch failed to control an Ashley Kelliher cross and Byron was on hand to poke home from close range.

Both sides used their subs after this and on 66 minutes, Brian Quinn got in behind the Saints defence to make it two goals to one.

The visitors then had two good chances to level the tie firstly when Toomey got in behind the defence but shot poorly and Robbie McGrath made a superb save to touch an Earls header over the bar following a free kick.

Danny O’Brien nearly got in at the other end to increase the home lead but, in the end two goals were enough to carry the TSDL side through.