North End United players celebrate after Paul Murphy's goal. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Pike Rovers 1
North End United 1

(North End win 5-4 on penalties)

Dave Donnelly reports from Aviva Stadium

GARY DELANEY SCORED the decisive fifth penalty as North End United sealed their first FAI Junior Cup with a gripping penalty shootout win over Pike Rovers.

Colin Daly saw his spot-kick saved by North End goalkeeper Lee Walker after the sides couldn’t be separated following 20 minutes of extra time.

North End took the lead just before the break from Paul Murphy’s penalty, but Pike levelled through Steven McGann and could consider themselves unlucky not to win inside 90 minutes.

The Limerick side played the better football for the majority of the game but North End, in Murphy, had the game’s outstanding talent, and he was inevitably the one to make the breakthrough.

Pike's Colin Daly and Dale Flynn of North End United challenge for a header. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Pike keeper Gary Neville brought down Murphy — confusingly, one of two Paul Murphys to appear for North End — and the lethal striker was never going to miss from 12 yards.

The Hoops emerged for the second half a transformed team and played virtually all of the football, with the dynamism of Shane Walsh and Daly to the fore.

Cian Collins had a good chance to level early on, only to be thwarted by an excellent covering tackle from Decky Downes. When Walker nervously fumbled a Paddy O’Malley free-kick behind for a corner, the resulting delivery saw Jason Mullins denied by a fine Delaney block.

The Limerick side deservedly equalised just past the hour, and in fine style, Colin Daly weaving through three challenges in the box before teeing up McGann to slide home from close range.

The goal came at a further cost for the Wexford club as the hitherto outstanding Downes fell awkwardly while trying to block McGann’s shot and had to be stretchered off.

Walker came out of his box as a long ball over the top looked to put Collins through, but he could only clear as far as Daly, whose shot was turned away from goal by the retreating Mullins.

Eoin Hanrahan of Pike Rovers and North End United's Dale Flynn. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Collins showed great movement to turn his man from a Wayne O’Donovan pass and forced Walker to save at his near post.

Replacement Paul Murphy saw a free-kick from a prime position twice blocked in the second half of extra-time, while Wayne O’Donovan pulled off a brave goalline clearance to force the penalty shootout, in which North End prevailed.

PIKE ROVERS: Neville; W O’Donovan, P Mullins, Colbert (Carroll 60), E O’Donovan; Hanrahan (J Mullins 19) (Ryan 100), Walsh, McGann, O’Malley (Power 81); Daly, Collins.

NORTH END UNITED: Walker; Broaders, Downes (Beary 65), Delaney, Flynn; K Dempsey, Wadding-Byrne (P Murphy (II) 80), R Dempsey (Byrne 46); P Murphy, J Murphy (Fenlon 73).

Referee: Derek O’Shea.

‘Even people over here wonder how a team like Dundalk managed to achieve that’

Our back four are pretty much all wingers so it’s a makeshift defence but they were outstanding’