Illistrin FC kept their U15 SFAI Trophy dreams alive with a dramatic 3–2 extra-time victory over St Joseph’s FC Athlone in Letterkenny last Sunday.
Played at the Aura facility in Letterkenny, Illistrin enjoyed the assistance of a slight breeze in the opening half and started brightly. An excellent goal in the first half from Daimhin Harkin gave Illisitrin the advantage at the break.
However, the visitors emerged with renewed purpose in the second half and began to turn the momentum in their favour. Dangerous from set pieces and aided by the breeze, St Joseph’s applied pressure and levelled on 50 minutes from a corner. Soon after, they struck again on the counter-attack as Illistrin struggled to regain control.
With time running out, Illistrin pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Darragh Edwards rattled the base of the post, and McGlynn had an effort ruled out for an earlier infringement.
Then, with just five minutes remaining, Ashton Forrester delivered a dangerous ball into the box which eventually fell to Harkin. Spinning sharply, he slotted home the equaliser to spark celebrations among the large home support.
The contest continued to ebb and flow in extra time and Illistrin’s decision to play with the breeze proved decisive when Davyn McGlynn fired home from a tight angle to restore the lead, which they held onto to prompting large celebrations at the final whistle.
Illistrin now eagerly await the quarter-final draw which takes place this week. Quarter final matches are expected to be played on the weekend of 21/22 March with Illistrin now hoping for a home draw.
