NightHawks League Cup - Quarter Final

The Quarter Final of the Nighthawks League had Dún Laoghaire Town FC face the lads of East Coast FC on Friday 23rd March 2007 on the front pitch at Three Rock Rovers. Dún Laoghaire started the game playing from left to right as this was a very important match for both teams it started off a bit cagey. But this was soon to change as a great move down the left wing by Dún Laoghaire with a number of players involved produced a great sequence of play which ended with Daniel Downey swinging the ball in from the left wing and Kevin Plunkett (pictured right) coming close with a fine header which went narrowly wide to the keeper's right. Dún Laoghaire started to kick into gear with a number of chances but lacked cutting edge in front of goal. As Dún Laoghaire got the ball down on the deck and started passing the ball around but failing to create much as East Coast were very solid in defence. It was a bit of a midfield game in that period producing little by way of chances for either team. But as the ball broke to East Coast in the midfield involving their Centre Midfielder and Left Winger - East Coast scored a fine goal on the break just before the half. Japo's half-time pep talk seemed to fire up the lads as Dún Laoghaire came back out in fighting form for the second half creating some more chances but again just failed to find that finishing touch. But all was soon to change as Dún Laoghaire won a free kick just inside East Coast's half which Thomas Downey, the dead-ball specialist, stood to take, whipping in a quality ball into the penalty area which ended up in the back of the net with a slight touch from an East Coast player. All was to play for now as Dún Laoghaire got the equalizer they so deserved with Dún Laoghaire pushing forward for the winning goal creating more and more chances but as in the first half we found it very hard to break them down. Just as the end Dún Laoghaire had a great chance to clinch the game with young Steve McAfee just pulling his shot wide from just outside the box leaving the score at 1 : 1 and the dreaded penalties to come. As usual the Captain, Paddy Kershaw, stood up to take the first penalty which he calmly slotted home. With both teams scoring their first four penalties it was Dean McAfee up to take Dún Laoghaire's fifth which he smashed against the crossbar leaving it down to East Coast to take them into the Semi Finals of the NightHawks League Cup with a fine last penalty of the game into the top right hand corner. The final score DLTFC 1 : East Coast 1 and then 5 : 4 to East Coast on penalties. (Reporter: Ian Kane)