ST Patricks Athletic striker and Limerick native Ronan Coughlan celebrated winning the FAI Cup yesterday as his side saw off Dublin rivals Bohemians in the final at the Aviva Stadium in front of 37,126 fans.
The cup final victory is St Pats first since 2014 with the sides playing out an entertaining clash that was tight from start to finish. A penalty shoot-out would decide the day as St Pats held on to take the title against their Dublin rivals.
Former Limerick academy player Ronan Coughlan came on for the winners in extra time, before calmly putting away his spot kick in the dramatic final stages of the game.
Coughlan was the first Pats player to dispatch a penalty as they won 4-3 after it finished 1-1 at the end of extra-time.
The teams could not be separated before the full-time whistle as the game ended 0-0 in normal time. However, the game sparked into life during extra time as St Pats took the lead through Chris Forrester after 107 minutes of play.
Bohemians would reply on the 116th minute mark as Rory Feely levelled proceedings. Ultimately by the end of extra time, both sides again unable to grab a winner which lead to a tense penalty shoot-out.
Bohemians vs Sligo Rovers
Sligo Rovers’ Ronan Coughlan celebrates after the game
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Oisin Keniry
Coughlan had previously been on the books at Huddersfield, playing in the U23 squad before returning home to represent Bray Wanderers for a season. In the 2018-19 season, the Limerick man made the move to Cork City for a spell before moving to Sligo Rovers. Following his time with the Connacht based club, he would eventually make the move to St Patricks.
The FAI Cup victory would suggest Coughlan has made the right move and has found his new footballing home.
With the importance of his spot kick, the influence of the Limerick man’s impact on the outcome of the game cannot be understated.
Watch match highlights and the full shoot-out here:
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