Twenty-one year old striker Shane Barrett scored twice in four minutes last night to send Longford Town into the last eight of the FAI Cup, with a 2-1 win over First Division Limerick. In the night’s other game a lone goal from Kildare County top scorer Philip Hughes was enough to see off Cherry Orchard 1-0, the last non-league representation in the competition.
Eric Hannigan’s County side went eight games unbeaten in the league and Cup thanks to a wonderful goal from Hughes at Station Road.
His ninth goal in eighteen appearances for the Newbridge club came in the 24th minute when he latched onto a long incisive ball from right back Damien Brennan to lob from thirty yards into the Orchard net.
The youngster struck the post on 35 minutes before Paul O’Brien’s Leinster Senior side’s best chance of the night fell to Aidan Price who unfortunately struck the County upright from Graham Doyle’s 44th minute free kick.
Meath-based carpenter Shane Barrett chipped in with a second half brace to send Premier Division Longford Town into the Cup quarter finals for the first time in three years at Flancare Park.
Barrett’s pace proved the undoing of a taut Limerick defence, watertight throughout the opening period. A lapse in concentration just three minutes after the interval allowed the pacey striker to volley home Philip Keogh’s left wing cross after good work from the returning Alan Murphy. Town, without the presence of top scorer Barry Ferguson through suspension, pressed home their advantage with Barrett’s second, a curling effort from the edge of the box past Limerick keeper John Healy on 51 minutes.
The visitors badly missed midfielder Gareth Cooney, currently out with a cruciate knee injury, but had hopes of a Monday night replay thanks to defender Paul Finucane’s header home on 80 minutes. Alan Matthews’ side held out however for their fifth victory in their last six games.