Two penalties and a sending-off in extra time added late drama to a hard fought but ultimately disappointing Cup tie as Sporting Fingal took their place in the last four of the competition.
The visitors got off to a flying start when in the eight minute O’Neill pounced on a mistake by Price to run into the area and although Sives got across to block he was able to steer the ball into the path of Kirby and he shot past Mannus in the Hoops goal.
A Bradley free-kick from the left hand side of the box forced Quigley to dive low to save on 11 minutes and Price almost connected with the resultant corner. Mannus saved comfortably from Kirby before Chisholm shot high and over from a Rovers corner.
Kirby was causing problems for the Rovers defence and when Byrne fired in a ball across Rovers goal it found the visitors number 10 at the back post but he flashed his shot wide.
Rovers didn’t create too many openings in the first half and just before the break Barrett blocked ‘keeper Quigley’s attempted clearance but the ball rebounded wide of the visitors goal.
With Stephen Rice introduced at half-time the Hoops at last injected a high-tempo into the game and from a Rice long throw in the opening minute of the second half Referee Winter adjudged that Bradley was bundled over in the box and awarded a penalty. The Hoops number 10 stepped up to shoot low past Quigley to equalise.
O’Connor fed Flynn on 53 minutes and his cross was well taken by Quigley under pressure from Barrett. Rovers were battling hard but still finding it difficult to unlock the visitors defence. At the other end Craig Sives got across well to make a vital challenge just after the hour mark.
Chisholm then hit a 25 yard free-kick not too far wide before heading on a Flynn cross that Sives just failed to connect with. Rovers had an opportunity to go in front on 79 minutes when after a loud call for handball in the area the ball was crossed back into the danger area and Amond’s swivel and shot produced a fine one-handed save from Quigley.
Fingal were always dangerous on the break and with 7 minutes remaining Kirby set up Bayly in the Hoops box but he shot narrowly wide. As the game entered the final couple of minutes O’Neill got in behind the Hoops defence but couldn’t get a shot in while at the other end Padraig Amond shot dangerously across goal from a corner.
The game was forced into extra-time and Mannus was called on to make a fine catch from a corner. Amond then forced the tiring Paisley into a mistake but O’Connor couldn’t hit the target from just outside the area. Bradley then whipped in a cross but Amond could only head over.
The game entered the final 15 dramatic minutes and when Craig Sives turned awkwardly he caught Fingal defender Gannon and Referee Winter produced a second yellow card and the Hoops were down to ten men.
The Referee then controversially adjudged that substitute Doyle was pushed by Flynn inside the area and that man Kirby stepped up to shoot past Mannus from the spot with just five minutes remaining.
Rovers pushed hard and a Chisholm free-kick was scrambled away and a long Rice throw-in was headed on goal by Amond but Quigley gathered the ball safely. With a minute to go a corner by Bradley fell to Amond at the back post and although he got his shot on target there were too many bodies in the way.
However the drama wasn’t finished as Referee Winter saw a handball in the box following a goalmouth scramble and Bradley stepped up again and with what was virtually the last kick of the game he blasted the ball to the right of the goal but to the despair of the Hoops fans the ball went over the cross-bar and Rovers tumbled out of the Cup.
