Letterkenny Rovers 1 Buncrana Hearts 1 (aet)
Buncrana Hearts won 6-5 on pens
Holders Letterkenny Rovers were knocked out of the Ulster Junior Cup at the quarter-final stage losing on penalties at Leckview Park.
In a tight and tense contest, all the drama came late in the game with Liam Jordan scoring in stoppage time for the visitors to cancel out BJ Banda’s 85th minute penalty.
Neither side could find a winner in extra-time and it was former Rovers player Shane Monaghan who converted the decisive kick in the shoot-out.
The two sides were meeting in this competition for the third year in a row with Hearts having won the final on penalties back in 2024 and Rovers gaining revenge last season en route to their success.
Overall, it was a game of few chances. In the first half, played in heavy rain, Zach Gorman tested Hearts ‘keeper Taylor Clarke with a couple of efforts from outside the box while Blake Forkan showed good reflexes to keep out Jordan’s close range effort.
Lee McMonagle came close to the breakthrough just before the hour mark but from a pinpoint Shane McNamee cross, he steered his effort just the wrong side of the post.
Rovers looked to have won it when BJ Banda was hauled to the ground inside the penalty area after racing through on goal and he duly converted from the spot.
However, the hosts failed to hold on to their lead. In the 95th minute, Forkan got down well to tip a Caolan Doherty effort around the post. But from the resulting corner kick, Liam Jordan guided home a dramatic equaliser.
With the penalty shoot-out at 5-5 going to sudden death, David Shovlin had his penalty saved by Clarke and Monaghan sealed the win with a well struck effort to send Gary Duffy’s men into the semi-finals.
Referee – Paddy Martin.
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