Road to Aviva continues in FAI Junior Cup

HOLDERS Sheriff YC continue to dream of retaining their title after an exciting 7th Round of the FAI Junior Cup in Association with Umbro and Aviva this weekend.

Seven of the eight ties were played despite the recent horrendous weather.

On Saturday Blarney Street Athletic entertained Leinster Senior League side Liffey Wanderers and goals from O’Brien and Roche saw them advance to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win.

Geraldines from Limerick also advanced to the last eight with after beating Dublin AUL side East Wall Bessborough FC 4-2 on penalties after 1-1 draw in what can only be described as very trying conditions at the Clontarf Sports Centre.

Ballynanty Rovers beat previous FAI Junior Cup winners Carrick United from Waterford 1-0 at Limerick IT and became the second Limerick team to advance to the Quarter-finals.

The other all-Limerick tie between Regional FC and Carew Park FC was called off due to a waterlogged pitch and will be re-fixed for Carew’s ground for Sunday, February 23.

St Michaels from Tipperary travelled to Glen Celtic from the Cork AUL and won 4-1 with goals from Paul Breen, James Walsh, David Slattery and Pat Quinn in what can only be described as a very professional performance.

Collinstown from the Dublin AUL continued with their cup fantasy and beat Mervue from Galway 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw and their confidence must be sky high after seeing off one the cup favourites Pike Rovers in the previous round.

Galway will have one representative in the Quarter-final draw in NUI Galway after they saw off Waterford side Hibernians with a penalty shoot-out win in Ballduff, Waterford, after the initial game ended scoreless.

The tie of the round was the game at the Clontarf Sports Centre between Sheriff YC and Westport United, Sheriff have won the cup in 2012 and last year in the Aviva Stadium while Westport lifted the cup in 2005.

Minister Michael Ring attended the game and was impressed with the facility at Clontarf and was hoping for a Westport win. Unfortunately Sheriff put in a very polished performance and a Man of the Match display from Keith Dunne who scored all Sheriff's goals in a 4-1 win.

The draw for the Quarter Finals is due to take place in the Aviva Stadium on Monday, March 10 and will see the following teams go in to the drum, Sheriff YC (Dublin),  Liffey Wanderers (Dublin), Collinstown FC (Dublin),St. Michaels FC (Tipperary), NUI Galway (Galway), Geraldines FC (Limerick), Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick) Regional FC or Carew Park FC (Limerick).

The FAI Junior Cup Final is scheduled for Sunday, May 25, in the Aviva Stadium prior to the Republic of Ireland-Turkey Senior international.

The Road to the Aviva is coming to a close and there will be a few more twists on the road before we know who will contest the final in the Aviva.

Results - FAI Junior Cup seventh round:

Blarney Street Athletic 1-2 Liffey Wanderers FC

East Wall Bessborough FC 1-1 Geraldines FC (Geraldines won 2-4 on pens)

Sheriff YC 4-1 Westport United

Collinstown FC 0-0 Mervue FC (Collinstown won 4-3 on pens)

Hibernians FC 0-0 NUI Galway FC (NUIG won 3-4 on pens)

Glen Celtic 1-4 St Michaels FC

Ballynanty Rovers 1-0 Carrick United