Brilliant Devon breeze into last four of FAI Junior Cup

North End United 1

Salthill Devon 3

Dave Devereux at Hollygrove

Salthill Devon eased into the semi-finals on the FAI Junior Cup last Sunday for the first time in 15 years, and just the second time in the club’s history, with as emphatic a 3-1 win as you are likely to see.

Having travelled to the home of holders Fairview Rangers and dumping the Limerick side out of the competition in the previous round, Devon travelled to Wexford on Sunday and dumped the 2018 champions out of the competition on their own turf to book a semi-final spot away to Villa FC of Waterford on Sunday May 1.

Not only that, the city side has also booked a place in this year’s FAI Cup as one of the four semi-finalists, and have been drawn away to Liffey Wanderers in the Preliminary Round, which is down for decision on the weekend ending Sunday April 24.

The first-half on Sunday was a tale of two penalties, with home goalkeeper Noel ‘Charlie’ Heffernan getting down well to deny Timmy Molloy from the spot in the 32nd minute; while the ever-reliable Paul Murphy converted from 12 yards just before the break.

Devon would have felt aggrieved that they were trailing at the interval given their superiority, but they put things right after the change of ends, with experienced former League of Ireland striker Vinny Faherty scoring twice, either side of a goal from lively winger Michael Gallagher.

The westerners looked like they were up for the challenge from the off, with Gallagher dangerous on his regular forays down the right wing. Their first sight of goal came in the third minute when Molloy’s cross found its way to the feet of Alberto Cabanyes, but the Spaniard was off target with his strike.

The visitors were spraying the ball around sweetly and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, with Aaron Conway catching the eye in midfield. Paul Murphy did warm the gloves of Devon goalkeeper, Arek Mamala, when he collected a long free-kick from Gary Delaney and turned smartly, but the shot was straight down the throat of the netminder.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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