Three Rock Rovers 2 Pembroke 2 (aet, Pembroke won 5-4 on pens)

Peter McConnell's fifth penalty in a shootout gave Three Rock Rovers their first Irish Senior Cup win in 40 years at Belfield. In a tightly matched final, McConnell's last flick of five brought the trophy to Grange Road for the first time since 1974, Karl Lynch's effort minutes earlier for Pembroke drawing a wonderful diving stick save from Rovers goalkeeper Stephen West.

A game that bounced from end to end and was unresolved after 10 minutes extra time, finally fell Rovers way under lights, McConnell needing to convert the 10th penalty of the session for their victory.

The first quarter of the match was an even affair.

Alan Sothern forced a smart save from Rover’s goalkeeper Stephen West and Pembroke gained the only corner in that time but the end-to-end play left the game open.

Finishing touches
Conor Harte in the Pembroke defence was commanding and launched probing long balls, but approaching the half hour finishing touches were unavailable for either side.

Despite Pembroke having three players in the bin in the first half, the teams went into halftime 0-0.

Early in the second half Rovers found themselves chasing. A Conor Harte set piece was saved but the international defender was first to the rebound, his reverse strike going high over goalkeeper West for 1-0.

The goal energised Rovers with Pembroke goalkeeper Mark Ingram forced into a double save minutes later. On 48 minutes Dutchman Huub De With triggered Rover’s equaliser. His dribble left to right followed by a hard-driven ball to the near post enticed Mitch Darling into a perfectly timed slide, his outstretched arm touching the ball in for 1-1.

Four minutes later Rovers took the lead for the first time, their opening short corner of the match proving fruitful. After a bobble and clash of sticks the ball fell perfectly for Darling, his push from inside the circle beating Ingram for 2-1 with just 19 minutes remaining.

The Pembroke equaliser came after Harte's long ball found Tim Hill making a yard of space. His touch sent the game to a scoreless extra time and deciding penalties, where Rover's Joe Brennan claimed his fourth winners medal, three of them with Glenanne.

THREE ROCK ROVERS : S West, A Haughton, J Brennan, G Ringwood, P McConnell, J Hosking, H De With, M McGuire, M Darling, J Bruton, P Blakeney. Subs: A White, A Bothwell, H Morris, F Morris, D Walsh.
PEMBROKE : M Ingram, M Loughrey, C Harte, D Kane, H Spain, C Lynch, P Shanaghan, R Flannery, A Sothern, M O'Connor, C Hynes. Subs: I Clarke, D Harvey, K Crawford, S McKeever, T Hill.