It was always going to be a tough battle for Leinster Senior League side Belgrove to stop St Patrick's Athletic in this tie and that proved to be the case.

 

The visitors were dealt a hammer blow inside the opening minutes when referee Declan Hanney awarded a penalty to St Pat's. The Belgrove supporters could not believe it though when keeper Alan Cosgrave saved Derek Doyle's spot kick.

 

However, Doyle made amends for that miss on 26 minutes when he found the back of the net after latching onto a weak back pass and supplying the necessary finish.

 

The lead was doubled in the first half when left-back Ian Bermingham was in the right place to slot in when Cosgrave save a shot from Ryan Guy but only palmed it into the direction of the Saints player.

 

Guy was in sensational form as he ripped through the Belgrove defence on several occasions and came close with two headed opportunities.

 

For all of their effort, the visitors never really threatened Gary Rogers in the St Pat's goal and that ultimately cost them in this cup tie.

 

St Patrick's Athletic: Rogers; Pender, Kenna, Guthrie (Lynch 37), Bermingham; Byrne, O'Brien, Cash (Stewart 69) Doyle (North 79); Guy, Faherty. 

 

Belgrove: Cosgrave; Andrews, O'Brien, Duff, Dawson; Kerr (Allen HT), Whelan, Cooling (Roe HT), Hickey (O'Connell 69); Ryan, Dowler. 

 

Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).