Inchicore Athletic are tops in eight-goal thriller in Metro Cup

INCHICORE Athletic welcomed Porterstown’s, St Mochtas FC to Bernard Curtis Park in what was a thrilling 5-3 contest, in the Leinster Senior League Metropolitan Cup last Sunday reports Rory Merriman.

Inchicore Athletic took to the carpet like surface of Bluebell astro pitch in their traditional orange and black kit, while the visitors played in red.

The match kicked off at 11am beneath a showery Dublin 8 sky.

Just four minutes into the game, the visitors opened the scoring with Karl Sommers capitalising on a defensive error in the Inchicore fullback line.

Trailing by one, excellent offensive efforts from Joe Fitzmaurice and Shane Hyland allowed Inchicore to keep the visitors on their toes.

After a tremendous effort off the boot of The Core’s, Sean Quinn pounded the crossbar, our focus travelled up field following a turnover in possession, where St Mochta’s dangerman Jake Donnelly stuck one in the Inchicore net to make it two.

Inchicore Athletic beat St Mochta’s FC in extra time to go into the next round of the Metropolitan cup. Photo Anthony O’Brien

In the latter stages of the first half, talisman Shane Hyland finally put orange on the board with goals in the 26th and 29th minute, levelling the teams.

With back-to-back efforts from Jamie Henderson, Inchicore probe to steal the lead just before the referee blows for half time.

The teams were level at the break.

In the second half, Inchicore opened the scoring with a wonder strike from Shane Hyland, bagging his third of the match and taking the lead for the first time of the game making it 3-2.

In true David Beckham fashion, Jake Donnelly finds the back of the home sides net with a long-range shot just inside the Inchicore half, re-levelling the scoring.

Wearing the number 9 jersey, Donnelly further asserted his excellence when a skilful half-volley effort that just missed the target.

As both sides relentlessly pursued a dramatic late winner, the full-time whistle echoed through Bluebell, signalling the onset of extra time of the Metro Cup as the scores finished 3-3.

All eyes were on hat trick hero, Shane Hyland to dig something out for the home side until Craig Walsh opened the scoring in extra time giving the home side something to cheer about making it 4-3 to Inchicore.

Leading on the front foot, an exhausted looking St Mochta’s entered the extra time break trailing by just the one goal.

Despite relentless efforts, fate appears elusive for St Mochta’s in Dublin 8, as Inchicore’s Yanis Boulmelh conjured a goal in the dying minutes of the game, culminating in a riveting finish with the score board reading 5-3 to the home side.

In a sensational display at Bernard Curtis Park, the thrilling 5-3 clash between Inchicore Athletic and St Mochta’s served as a testament to football’s unpredictability as the Dublin 8 natives progress to the next round of the Metropolitan Cup.

Jake Donnelly of St Mochtas certainly made tough work of Inchicore’s victory securing himself two sensational goals, while Man of the Match Shane Hyland’s hat-trick heroics showcased his exceptional talent.

The remarkable performance from both players encapsulated the seesaw battle that enthralled the onlooking fans until the final whistle.

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