Soccer: Much improved Dynamos beaten from the spot

TRALEE DYNAMOS 1 CARRICK UNITED (WATERFORD) 1 CARRICK WIN 4-3 ON PENALTYS AET

Tralee Dynamos were on a mission of redemption on Sunday when they faced Waterford kingpins Carrick United at Cahermoneen in the Munster Senior Cup and despite suffering the heartbreak of a penalty shoot-out exit, they did everything but win.

This was as good a display as Dynamos have produced in recent years and they really made up for last week’s poor display away to Westport as they defended superbly and threw everything at Carrick bar the kitchen sink.

It was a day that Dynamos dominated and against a lesser side that last year’s beaten finalists, the Kerry side would have won with ease. The commitment of Dynamos in the driving wind and rain had to be seen to be believed.

Players like Eoin Cassidy and Maurice O’Rahilly, who may have played below their best in Westport and who put up their hands in the dressing room afterwards, were outstanding and really sealed up the back. In fact Carrick had only two real chances in the first half and they scored from one of them, which good sides tend to do. Dynamos had several chances of winning game in normal time but they just could not finish off good approach work and that is the way cup games go sometimes. It was all Dynamos from the very outset and as early as the second minute Mark Fitzgerald collected a ball at midfield and sent Samier Benkuetin through but his well struck shot was just inches wide.

The home side had Carrick on the back foot during the entire first quarter and in the 10th minute Damien Diggins set up Adrian McHugh but he shot over from a difficult angle. Edward Duggan got through minutes later but when his low drive was parried by keeper Adrian Walsh, Diggins only managed to turn the rebound behind.

Carrick settled in the second quarter thanks to fine work by Keith Walsh and Michael Ryan, and in the 28th minute a Ryan free kick was cleared by a combination of Cassidy and O’Rahilly as Dynamos defended superbly. It was all action stuff but a goal seemed unlikely until 12 minutes from the break when Carrick, in only their second real attack, punished Dynamos when David Laurence broke down the wing and crossed for Power to beat O’Shea and so Carrick Utd led 1-0 at the interval.

The second half was non stop action as both sides produced superb entertainment with Dynamos introducing Kevin McCannon as they kept Carrick pinned back and it was counter-attack only for the Waterford side. Still, they should have made the game safe in the 65th minute when Derek O’Shea saved brilliantly from Barry Murphy while Dynamos went close on a couple of occasion at the other end.

In the 83rd minute Duggan was through again and Walsh had to produce a wonder save to keep him out. Then three minutes later Cassidy won a fine ball before finding Diggins who set up McHugh and remaining ice cool he rounded his marker before slipping the ball past the Carrick keeper for the equaliser.

Two periods of extra-time could not separate these two fine sides and in fairness Dynamos did everything but score as Diggins possibly should have won the day two minutes from time but the ball went inches wide and so to the dreaded penalty shoot-out. Carrick went first and both Brian Barry and David Laurence scored while Cassidy and Diggins replied for the home side. Then went Sean Hassey missed for Carrick Samier put Dynamos 3-2 in front and they must have thought that they were on the verge of a famous win.

In a cruel twist of fate Barry Murphy levelled for the visitors while Darren Crotty had his effort saved by Walsh and when Aidan Ryan made it 4-3 Mark Fitzgerald needed to score to bring the game to sudden death. Opting for power he managed to beat the keeper but unfortunately for Dynamos his effort went high over the bar and so Carrick United advance to the next round.

Tralee Dynamos: D O’Shea, R Rogers, M O’Rahilly, E Cassidy, D Crotty, E Duggan, M Fitzgerrald, S Benkuentin, B Stack, A McHugh, D Diggins. Subs: K McCannon for B Stack, I Maher for E Duggan.

Carrick Utd: A Walsh, B Barry, K O’Shea, J Walsh, T Reid, N Power, K Walsh, M Ryan, P Laurence, T Fitzgerald, B Murphy. Subs: S Hassey for T Fitzgerald, A Ryan for K Walsh.

Referee: Gurt Kruis.