BY Kathrin Kobus
Jubilant scenes came from two stadia in Dublin 4 late on Sunday afternoon and around 9pm in the evening.
Firstly Shamrock Rovers could lift the FAI cup again for first time since 1987. 88 minutes regular playtime saw no goals at all, then two came long in the space of five minutes. A penalty gave rovers the lead only for league champions Dundalk snatch an equaliser with seconds to spare and force on extra time. 30 more minutes passed without a winning goal. So it was the penalty shootout that decided the game in Shamrocks favours.
Barely had television coverage from the Aviva finished. The spotlight was again like the night before on the energia park in Donnybrook. Irelands Hockey ladies played their second qualifier match against Canada. Saturday evening had been a wash-out game in torrential rain.
)Weather conditions had improved on Sunday, but goals did not happen. It was 0:0 after two hours play time. The necessary sudden death penalty decider Canada move 3:1 up before Ireland’s goalkeeper frustrated the Canadian players coming up to her to score in the allotted 8 second time frame. 4:3 it ended for Ireland, and the ladies WILL go to Tokio Olympics next year.
