Plucky Inchicore Athletic gave it everything in Friday’s Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup tie against near neighbours and 2014 Cup winners St . Patrick’s Athletic. Ultimately, the Leinster Senior League side lost 5-0 but it was only in the last quarter that
Plucky Inchicore Athletic gave it everything in Friday’s Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup tie against near neighbours and 2014 Cup winners St . Patrick’s Athletic. Ultimately, the Leinster Senior League side lost 5-0 but it was only in the last quarter that the professional SSE Airtricity League Premier Division team pulled away, with telling contributions off the bench from Jake Keegan and Conan Byrne. Inchicore’s Karl Malone, who came on as a 58th minute substitute for Darren Howe in midfield, felt his men could hold their heads high. “(It was) a smashing effort from everyone at the club tonight. Great occasion and just wasn't to be in the end. (I’m) proud of the lot of the boys.” Right back Sean Plunkett, who worked tirelessly over the 90 minutes, as did all of the Inchicore back four agreed. Plunkett also felt their more vaunted opposition might have enjoyed the rub of the green with some of the decisions. “(It was a) great effort from everybody tonight to hold them to 0-0 at half time. "Harsh decision for the sending off. It was a great day and night. Onto the season now,” Inchicore who ply their trade in the third tier of Leinster Senior League football. Former Limerick custodian Brendan Clarke has recently returned to the metropolis to rejoin the Saints, with whom he picked-up an FAI Cup medal during his previous stint at Richmond Park. In truth, he didn’t have much to do on Friday night as more of the action was at the other end but he stressed the significance of the Cup derby, “In an amenity neglected area such as Inchicore, football really comes to the front of bringing a community together. "Tonight proved that. (It was) a brilliant atmosphere during the build-up and again during the game. Best of luck to Inchicore Athletic for the coming season.”
