Fanad United FAI Junior Cup hopes ended in dramatic fashion by Fairview Rangers 

Fanad United’s hopes of an FAI Junior Cup semi-final spot were dashed by Limerick kingpins Fairview Rangers in the most dramatic of fashions at Traigh-a-Loch on Sunday. 

With Eddie O’Reilly levelling things up three minutes into the red, matters seemed destined for extra-time. 

But up the other side, right at the tail end of six minutes of injury time, Habideen Gbadego got in behind the home defence and with the last act of a frantic encounter, propelled the nine-time winners through to the last four. 

It was a cruel end for Arthur Lynch’s side who had gone in at the break in front thanks to a brilliant Paddy McGinley strike on 35 minutes. 

However, the visitors upped the ante at the start of the second period to equalise through Shane Duggan. 

And just five minutes later Cian McNamara swept Fairview in front. And that was how it remained right up until the dying seconds as matters exploded back into life in those dramatic six minutes of added time. 

Back at the beginning, the opening quarter of an hour was frantic with matters slow to settle but when they did, Fairview’s Oleg Vysochan had his fizzing half-volley tipped up and over by Mark McConigley. 

On 23 minutes, a brilliant dispossessing tackle from Eoin Logue sent Peter Carr scampering down the right. 

He got his head up and managed to source O’Reilly but his effort was well smothered by Josh McCarty in the Fairview goal. 

Lynch’s side had now well and truly settled with Keelan McElwaine also having a pop from distance. 

Paddy McGinley and Carr again combined well on the right flank and O’Reilly drew another stop from McCarty. 

With the hosts continuing to turn the screw, a brilliant ball over the top from McElwaine was about to drop at the feet of O’Reilly but a harsh offside call went against the busy Fanad front man. 

Up the other side, Rangers showed their potential as McNamara drew a super stop from McConigley, even though that play was eventually called back for offside. 

Ten minutes out from the midpoint and Fanad finally made that pressure count when captain McGinley let fly from the edge of the area with a cracking strike off his weaker left peg that nestled sweetly in the right hand stanchion of the Fairview net. 

Fanad had to sweat a goalmouth scramble late on in the half as Josh McCarthy and Shane Duggan both had swipes at the loose ball. 

Thankfully - from a Fanad perspective at least - McConigley managed to grab a hold of possession as the home side got to the break with their noses ahead. 

Fairview were much-improved on the restart and were soon level as Duggan riffled home superbly from the edge of the home box. 

On 55 minutes, the away side took the lead as substitute Gbadego - who was excellent following his introduction - got in behind Seamie Friel on the far left. 

He managed to get a shot away and while McConigley did well to beat that back out, McNamara was on hand to fire home the rebound. 

On 67 minutes Fairview wing back Danny O’Neill drilled a well-worked free kick just wide. 

Rattled Fanad survived though and 15 minutes out from time could and probably should have had a penalty when O’Reilly was bundled over in a coming together that looked like it occurred inside the area. 

It was a decision that riled Lynch and his management team and from the resulting freekick, Darren McElwaine went agonisingly close as he clipped the topside of the woodwork. 

Still, there was to be late, late drama when O’Reilly levelled it up in injury time but in the dying seconds there, Gbadego raced onto a ball over the top, nodded it past the outrushing McConigley before bundling home a dramatic winner. 

 Fanad United Mark McConigley; Daibhid Lynch (Carlos O’Reilly, 57), James Gallagher (Dylan McGlone, 85), Seamie Friel; Keelan McElwaine, Peter Carr, Patrick Carr (Patrick Moffitt, 70), Paddy McGinley (Liam McGrenaghan, 57), Eoin Logue; Eddie O’Reilly, Darren McElwaine.

Fairview Rangers: Josh McCarty; Danny O’Neill, Jason Cross, Conor Kavanagh; Darragh Rainsford, Cian McNamara (Shane Carmody,75), Jeffrey Jude, Shane Duggan; Josh McCarthy (Habideen Gbadego, h/t) Gabido, Oleg Vysochan (Jamie Halpin, 73).

Referee: Ray Conlon.