WITH VIRTUALLY the last kick of the game, Letterkenny Rovers were cruelly denied a place in the FAI Intermediate Cup final.
Ringmahon Rangers 1 Letterkenny Rovers 1
Roy Kenny struck a dagger through the Letterkenny hearts in the 94th minute.
Just when it seemed as if a 14th minute goal by Steve Okakpu-Emeka was set to fire Rovers to an Aviva Stadium final, Ringmahon Rangers hit back to give themselves another go.
The Rovers contingent stood poised to celebrate a famous win when former Cobh Ramblers player Kenny’s deflected shot crept past Rory Kelly, the Letterkenny Rovers goalkeeper.
It was a tough way for the game to end and while it’ll have felt like a defeat, the Rovers hopes to getting down Lansdowne Road remain alive – with a replay at Leckview Park to come, likely in two weeks’ time.
Rovers hit the front in the 14th minute. Christy Connaghan and Mark Forker were at the controls in the move. They combined to sweep the ball to right-back Ryan Lonnergan, whose ball over the top cannoned off a Ringmahon defender into the path of Okakpu-Emeka.
From 25 yards Okakpu-Emeka’s dipping effort flew over James Kirby and into the net, sending the away support wild.
It was a stunning goal worthy of gracing any occasion and Rovers were full value for the lead.
Rovers were appearing in only their second-ever Intermediate semi-final after the Danny McConnell-managed class of 2003/04. Back then, a solitary goal in a semi-final replay in Cork – after a scoreless draw at home – saw Rovers bow out at the hands of Rockmount.
Terence Shiels is the sole survivor at Leckview Park from that game, having returned from Drumoghill FC.
Nine minutes before half-time, Shiels was close to driving Rovers 2-0 up. After doing well on the right-hand side, Shiels drove goalward but his shot was cleared off the goal-line.
Darren McElwaine – who scored one of the goals in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Killester – was following in, but his effort was also blocked on the chalk of the Ringmahon line.
Since the heady days for Fanad in the 90s, Swilly Rovers, Fanad – under Ollie Horgan – Letterkenny and Kildrum Tigers had all fallen at the penultimate hurdle.
Rovers were on top here with Ringmahon having only half chances for Rob Coughlan and Patrick O’Brien.
McConigley is well versed in the arts and ways of the Intermediate Cup.
A former Carrigans-based Garda, he was an integral at Fanad United when they won two Intermediate titles, in 1988 and 1995.
It’s 20 years now since Fanad lost the 1996 final to Wayside Celtic at Tolka Park and McConigley was there that day, too, but it’s taken until now for him to get back within touching distance.
McConigley’s men were pegged back late in the game. Coughlan could and should have scored when he connected to a deep cross at the far post, but failed to hit the target, while Alan O’Brien was denied by a last-ditch clearance by veteran Shane Bradley.
With the game in added time, Eric Hegarty went close, but to no avail and yet there was one, last throw of the dice and Kenny preserved Ringmahon’s lives.
Next weekend, Rovers are in Irish Daily Mail FAI Senior Cup action when they travel to Dublin to face Portmarnock.
Ringmahon Rangers: James Kirby; Philip Keane, Alan Higgins, Anthony Kidney, Jason Forde; Patrick O’Brien, Derek O’Sullivan, Roy Kenny, Rob Coughlan; Paul Deasy, Eric Hegarty.
Letterkenny Rovers: Rory Kelly; Ryan Lonergan, Shane Bradley, Paul Boyle, Jonathan Minnock; Christy Connaghan, Mark Forker, Terence Shiels (Tommy Bonnar), Paul McVeigh; Steve Okakpu (Kevin McGrath), Darren McElwaine (Tristan Ferris).
Referee: Keith Callnan.
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