Bohemians 1 Longford Town 1 (aet, 0-0 after 90 mins – Bohemians win 5-4 on penalties)
Andre Wright and James Talbot stood up to the mark at Dalymount Park to give Bohemians a dramatic penalty shootout triumph over Longford Town.
Following Wright’s composed strike to offer the hosts a 5-4 lead in sudden death, Talbot pulled off an expert stop from opposite number Lee Steacy to seal Bohs’ passage into the last eight of the competition.
While Neale Fenn’s departure wasn’t officially announced prior to kick-off, Daire Doyle assumed temporary charge of the visitors for their trip to north Dublin.
Longford goalkeeper Steacy had a previous spell with the Gypsies and he came to the rescue of his current employers with a superb save from Danny Grant in the second period of normal time. The visitors came agonisingly close to sealing a famous win on 82 minutes, but Sam Verdon’s penalty rebounded off the woodwork.
The hosts finally opened the scoring through Andre Wright’s close-range finish in the first minute of extra-time, only for Longford to immediately respond with an outstanding Jack Doherty strike.
Neither team could carve a winner in the remaining minutes of additional time, though, and it took a nerve-wracking spot-kick showdown to eventually determine the outcome of a compelling contest.
BOHEMIANS: Talbot; Lyons, Finnerty, Cornwall, Leahy; Levingston, Buckley (Ward, 75 mins); Wade-Slater, Mandroiu, Grant (Tierney, 79 mins); Wright.
LONGFORD TOWN: Steacy; Elworthy, McDonnell, Kenna, Breslin; Zambra (Chambers, 102 mins), Dervin, Byrne; Grimes (Hopkins, 72 mins), Verdon, Dobbs (Doherty, 86 mins).
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).