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Cherry Orchard 0 v 3 Portmarnock AFC
This highly anticipated quarter final tie got off to a flier on a cold morning in Elmdale with the early exchanges being quiet heated . It took only 30 seconds for the tackles to start flying with Daragh Coates ending up in a heap in the centre circle after a high challenge that went virtually unpunished by the ref . With no real chances Portmarnock won a free kick about 35 yds out with 5 mins on the clock . Philip Rusk swung a beauty into the back post and Chris Burgess jumped highest to send the ball into the far corner to send Portmarnock 1 up . Once it started to settle down Orchard we're seeing a lot of the ball with Portmarnock happy to let the Orchard back 4 have the ball which left them restricted to pumping high balls into the box with Robbie Byrne dealing brilliantly with all the high balls . When Porto did get the ball Ross Moran was the calming effect in the middle happy to put his foot on the ball and get his team going finding feet with every pass . With a lot of huff and puff from Cherry Orchard and no clear cut chances the ref blew for half time to send Portmarnock in 1 up at the break . As the second half started the teams traded early blows without many chances going either way . As the 2nd half wore on and space opening up as Orchard pushed on looking for a way through for the equaliser Philip Rusk started to find space and started weaving his magic on the ball with one such move taking him down the line and he left the full back for dead as he twisted and turned with his head up he pulled the ball back from the by line and when it was flicked on it ended up at the feet of Daragh Coates who made no mistake in sending the ball into the roof of the net to send the Porto bench into wild celebrations and two up . Orchard had no choice but to push forward and their frustration boiled over when they went down to ten men after a silly challenge by one of their midfielders resulting in a straight red . Even down to ten men they still had chances with one ball into the box resulting in their centre forward heading the ball off his team mates back and even then the danger wasn't gone as Robbie Byrne made a fantastic save from the shot that followed up . As the minutes wore on and everyone waited for the full time whistle the ball broke to Chris Burgess who found himself clean through on goal , as he struck a shot that was heading for the corner the keeper made a great save but could only watch as the ball fell to Graham Rusk who smashed the ball into the roof of the net .3-0 Portmarnock and Willie o Leary , Bren Dawson and Brian Gregan job done . The final whistle went and players and management got to celebrate and wonder who the draw will throw at them next for the semi final !!!
