Sporting Fingal 0 Sligo Rovers 1

Sligo Rovers escaped from the Morton Stadium and into the semi finals of the EA SPORTS Cup largely thanks to the efforts of goalkeeper Richard Brush.

The English stopper saved Sligo's blushes after 14 minutes when he guessed right to push Ross Gaynor's penalty attempt wide after Stephen Feeney was adjudged to have handled Alan Kirby's shot by assistant referee Mark Douglas.

And the Birmingham native was excellent in the second half denying a Sporting Fingal come back on a number of occasions.

Rovers had gone close early on with Darren Quigley denying Gavin Peers in the opening minute, the penalty seemed to give Sporting impetus and they were to own the ball for much of the rest of the half.

Conan Byrne was unlucky not to get on the end of two Gaynor crosses as they kept the ball well but failed to penetrate, perhaps in part to their 4-2-3-1 formation.

And they were left to rue their lack of incision as against the run of play it was the visitors who went in front as Richie Ryan's perfect chip played in Brian Cash and he crossed to Stephen Parkhouse who opted to find strike partner Rafael Cretaro who dove in to head home in the 43rd minute.

And Derry native Parkhouse almost doubled the lead before the whistle with Quigley brilliantly saving his headed effort before the big striker sent the rebound wide after Ryan had once again found Cash in space.

The Bit O'Red could have been safely through but first Shaun Holmes, and then Parkhouse sent low shots wide after sub Conor O'Grady - on for the injured goalscorer Cretaro - added some creativity to their midfield.

But as the half went on, Fingal grew stronger once again and Brush came to Rovers' rescue by denying Shane McFaul before Peers blocked Gaynor's rebound effort.

He then made an excellent save to deny Gaynor from a Byrne cross before the winger fired a shot across goal.
He then saw his goalbound header tipped over by the excellent Brush and as conditions worsened Sligo held on to progress.

Sporting Fingal: Quigley; James (McConnell Cook 88), Whelan, Gannon, Frost; Williams, McFaul; Byrne (Bayly 88), Kirby, McArdle (Fitzgerald 83); Gaynor.

Sligo Rovers: Brush; Keane, Peers, Feeney, Ventre; Cash (Morrison 81), Boco, Ryan, Holmes; Parkhouse, Cretaro (O'Grady 45).

Ref: N Doyle (Dublin).