25/2/18
Spartak 1, Cabinteely 2
The Sky Blues exited the cup in a tight contest in Marlay.
Ger Byrne gave the Sky Blues the lead on the quarter hour mark with a loveley finish after running on to Steve Walsh’s incisive through ball.
A determined visiting side pushed Spartak back and equalised midway through the half with a firm shot, struck from the edge of the box as a headed clearance fell to the unattended forward.
Kevin Loftus made a few sharp stops as Cabinteely pressed their advantage, but there was no further scoring in the first half.
An early second half goal proved to be the winner for Cabinteely. Dave Kernan was dispossessed and a quick through ball saw the visiting number 10 run clear through the middle and finish. There may have been a suspicion of offside but the goal stood.
Spartak huffed and puffed but lacked the guile to create an equaliser and struggled to match the visitors in midfield. Seamus McCahill headed just over and Billy O’Neill fired over with an angled effort, while Cabinteeley struck the woodwork at the other end.
Form Report
Kevin Loftus 7 Dave Browne 6 Billy O’Neill 6 Seamus McCahill 6 Darragh Logue 6 Stuart Love 6 Niall Lennon 5 Steve Grier 5 Dave Kernan 6 Ger Byrne 6 Steve Walsh 5.
Subs: Owen Marron 5, Tom O’Driscoll 5 Aodhan McCahill 5 Ian Harmon 5.
