Courtesy: FAI Futsal Portal


FAI National Futsal League Update

DUNDALK finished up surprise winners of the Leinster section of the FAI National Futsal League thanks to a pair of victories over St Patrick’s Athletic and Wexford Youths on Saturday.

The Lilywhites will now meet North West section runners-up Derry City in the quarter-finals.

With a fresh-faced squad, Dundalk proved to be the surprise packets in the league this year but nobody could argue with their progression to the knockout stages.

First up was a 3-1 win over the Saints to ensure their progress on the final day’s action at the National Basketball Arena.

Adrian Rafferty had given them a deserved lead and although Hygo Cesar levelled with a stunner, second half goals from Sean Hand and Barry Woods secured the three points for Dundalk.

With Ryan Coulter impressing as keeper, the County Louth outfit will take some stopping now. However, they may never get an easier test than that which they faced in their next outing against Wexford.

Dundalk ran out 8-1 winners over Wexford, who had already qualified for their last eight and were without the suspended Maciej Lewandowski and Wojiech Korzan, in a tepid encounter.

The battle for the remaining two places provided real drama after three clubs finished level on ten points.

Sporting Fingal were the unlucky losers despite victories over both Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne on the day.

The Fingal-Rovers clash was the game of the afternoon. The Hoops went 2-0 up through a pair of Philip McDonagh goals but then were pegged back through an own goal.

Alex Gutu looked to have put Rovers 3-1 ahead but the play was pulled back for a free-kick to his side just before the Hoops player put the ball in the net. It proved to be a pivotal moment.

Brazilian player-coach Junior Da Silva bagged a pair of goals to give Fingal the points and when they went on to beat Shelbourne 4-2, Sporting were waiting on Wexford to do them a favour.

As St Pat’s ran out 4-2 winners over Shamrock Rovers they were certain to progress regardless of finishing level on points with Fingal and Bray due to their better record in the games against their direct opponents.

With Bray scrapping past Wexford 8-7, it meant the young Wanderers joined St Pat’s, Dundalk and Wexford in the last eight. They had beaten Fingal 3-2 earlier in the competition.

It was a tremendous achievement for the youthful Wanderers outfit with Marty Waters, Gary O’Neill, Guy Kinghall and Dylan Vickers all playing crucial roles in their qualification.


FAI National Futsal League Fixtures

(All games at National Basketball Arena, Tallaght)

QUARTER-FINALS
Saturday, March 7
A (12.00) Dundalk v Derry City
B (13.15) Wexford Youths v Salthill Devon
C (14.30) Finn Harps v St Patrick’s Ath
D (15.45) Cork City v Bray Wdrs

SEMI-FINALS
Sunday, March 8
1 (12.30) Winner A v Winner C
1 (14.00) Winner B v Winner D

FINAL
Sunday, March 8
(16.00) Winner Semifinal 1 - Winner Semifinal 2







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com