Paul ‘The Yank’ Boyle – A.K.A. (‘Big-Red’) was the hero for Letterkenny Rovers today as they marched into both the next round of the FAI Intermediate Cup and First-Round of the FAI Senior Cup.
Boyle enjoyed a superb game at the heart of the Rovers defence – despite suffering from a nasty chest infection.
With the game tied at 1-1 at the end of full-time and extra-time – the game went to penalty shoot-out.
After eight successful converted penalties – Dunboyne’s David O’Neill’s stepped up and saw his effort saved by Rory Kelly.
Up stepped Boyle who superbly dispatched his penalty to send Rovers through the next round of two competitions.
Rovers got off to a bad start and trailed 1-0 after ten minutes when Alan Cosgrave finished from close range.
Rovers got back on level terms after a stunning free-kick from Letterkenny Rovers talisman Darren McElwaine.
Rovers had the better of the chances in the second-half but were unable to convert any of them and the game entered extra-time.
Kevin McGrath had a good opportunity to win it for Eamon McConigley’s side but he squandered the chance – while Paul McVeigh had a goal disallowed in the final seconds of extra-time.
It went to penalties and Letterkenny goalkeeper Rory Kelly and centre-half Paul Boyle were the toast of The Cathedral Town.