Two St Joseph’s teams advance to SFAI semi-finals

Two teams from St Joseph's FC advanced to SFAI Cup semi-finals last weekend.

The Athlone club's under-15s defeated Kilkenny visitors Evergreen at Cushla Park last Saturday, thanks to a goal from a penalty by Dylan Dennehy.

In a closely contested U-15 SFAI Cup quarter-final at Cushla Park, Dennehy's goal was the difference as St Joseph’s Reds overcame Evergreen .

After 70 minutes of chaotic, swashbuckling football from both teams, neither side was able to put the ball in the net from open play.

The only goal scored was from the penalty spot, and it came almost from nothing really. A cross into the box from the right by Filipe De Souza was handled by Evergreen defender Oisin Henderson. Dylan Dennehy stroked the penalty away with aplomb.

There was plenty of reason to see the foul as harsh as Henderson didn’t intentionally handle the ball, but that seems to be the rule now. Once the ball touches a stretched arm, the whistle will be blown.

No doubt, the St Joseph’s management will have been pleased by the overall efforts of their players.

From their point of view, Evergreen will have felt they deserved a draw. Ollie O’Donovan scored a 'goal' for the Kilkenny side, but the referee blew for a foul on a St Joseph’s player in the build-up.

See full report and more photos in this week's Westmeath Independent.

St Joseph’s Reds (v Evergreen): Niall Warde, Ciaran Cummins, John Timlin, Dylan Dennehy, Shay McGuinness, William Geraghty, Darragh Riordan, Diarmuid O’Higgins, Filipe de Souza, Leon Nolan Henderson, Cian Gilhooly. Sub used: Timothy Tselapedi.

Meanwhile, the St Joseph’s U-14 team claimed an away victory over Gorey Rangers of Wexford in their quarter-final.

A goal from a penalty once again proved decisive with Bobby Lenehan converting from the spot in extra-time to clinch a 2-1 victory.