FAI Cup round-up: Four red cards in bad-tempered thriller in Sligo while Waterford edge past Glengad United

Eight goals, a miss penalty, four red cards, a headbutt and an alleged attack on a steward: it was anything but a normal FAI Cup night at the Showgrounds as Sligo Rovers overcame Limerick.

Romeo Parkes scored twice, while Rónán Coughlan, Regan Donelon, David Cawley and Kris Twardek all found the neck for the Bit o’ Red as they eventually ran out 6-2 winners.

Limerick finished the game with eight men following red cards for Shaun Kelly, Clyde O’Connell and Jason Hughes, while Sligo defender Dante Leverock was also dismissed in an ill-tempered game.

It had started so well for the First Division side as winger Karl O’Sullivan scored two virtuosic individual efforts to put Tommy Barrett’s side 2-0 up inside ten minutes.

O’Sullivan bagged his first in the seventh minute as the teenager raced in on goal and planted a fine finish past keeper Ed McGinty.

Two minutes later, the winger stunned the home crowd once more as he picked up the ball inside his own half and danced through a series of challenges before once again beating McGinty.

Sligo worked their way back from the shock start and pulled one back midway through the half as Parkes ran onto Cawley’s pass before slotting past Brady.

Coughlan pounced on a rebound to level the scores and had the chance to put them in front from the penalty spot after Kieran Hanlon fouled Twardek but saw his spot-kick saved.

A frantic five-minute spell saw Bermuda captain Leverock sent off for a headbutt on Hanlon before referee Rob Hennessy levelled it up by dismissing Kelly for a second yellow.

From the resulting free kick, Donelon curled in a spectacular shot to make it 3-2 at the break, and Parkes added his second, and Sligo’s fourth, within a minute of the restart.



Parkes returned the favour of Cawley’s earlier assist on the hour, the midfielder making it five, before Clyde O’Connell was shown a straight red for a bad tackle.

He was quickly joined by former Sligo midfielder Jason Hughes when he was involved in an altercation with a steward, and Twardek wrapped things up with a sixth soon after.

On Saturday’s earlier game, Waterford avoided a potential banana skin in Donegal as Michael O’Connor and Cory Galvin found the net late on against Glengad United.

O’Connor, who spent time last year on loan with Finn Harps, broke Glengad resistance on 69 minutes with a scuffed shot before Georgie Poynton played in Galvin to wrap it up.

On Friday night, Galway United produced the shock of the round to beat 2017 winner Cork City 1-0 while UCD beat St Patrick’s Athletic 3-1, a result that led to Harry Kenny’s resignation.

Dundalk beat Derry City 3-2 after extra time, Bohemians beat Longford Town on penalties while Shamrock Rovers were comfortable 4-0 winners at home to Drogheda United.



Read the round-up of Saturday’s fixtures here.