Setanta Sports Cup - Dundalk 2 Cliftonville 1 (Dundalk win 5-2 on aggregate):Dundalk booked their place in the Setanta Sports Cup final after tonight's 2-1 win over Cliftonville at Oriel Park to go through 5-2 on aggregate.
Veteran striker Jason Byrne and Johnny Breen scored the goals for Dundalk, while Kieren O’Connor netted for the visitors as the League of Ireland side progressed to their first final since the 2002 FAI Cup final.
O’Connor put Cliftonville ahead on the night in the 59th minute. Full back Liam Fleming played a high ball into the near post where O’Connor found space to head home and give the Irish League an outside chance.
However, Dundalk responded with the equaliser eight minutes later. Ross Gaynor played a crucial role by winning possession from Conal Burns before sending over a fine cross for Byrne to head home.
The equaliser restored Dundalk’s three-goal advantage and by the time Breen tucked the ball home in injury time, it was the icing on the cake in a good night’s work for the home side.
DUNDALK: Cherrie; Madden, Hawkins, Hector, N Murphy; Kearns (Breen 76), Ward, McDonnell, Gaynor; Quigley, Byrne.
CLIFTONVILLE: Duffin; Fleming, Hutton (Kane 84), McVeigh, Seydak (Bannon 80), Burns, McMullen, Lynch (Donnelly 70), Garrett, Scannell, O'Connor.
REFEREE: Alan Black (Antrim).
