Bohemians 2-1 Shamrock Rovers
FAI Cup thrills at Dalymount Park as Bohemians march into the quarter-finals after a dramatic derby finale against their bitter rivals.
With 800 raucous home fans allowed into the Phibsboro venue - the attendance was doubled late in the week - the hosts got the result they craved as they chase success in this competition for the first time since 2008.
Certainly 21-year-old Andy Lyons won't have to buy dinner around Dublin 7 for some time, you'd imagine, after his 86th minute winner, as he was allowed to saunter into the Hoops' box after beating Danny Mandroiu to smash home past Alan Mannus.
Before that you had Graham Burke hitting the post for Rovers, a half-time confrontation between backroom staff, Ali Coote's thunderous opener for Keith Long's side and Roberto Lopes' 78th minute reply, Dawson Devoy striking the bar for the Gypsies and then a red card for both sides, with Georgie Kelly and Ronan Finn dismissed.
Breathless stuff.
The first half descended into a scrap the longer it went on but in the opening stages it was Bohs who had the upper hand and Rovers who had the best effort on goal.
The hosts looked much livelier from the start, with their opponents perhaps feeling the effects of their ECL play-off exertions against Flora Tallin on Thursday night.
Bohs earned a couple of set-pieces in promising positions without capitalising and it was the Hoops who came closest to breaking the deadlock when, in the 11th minute, Richie Towell fed Aaron Greene, who in turn found Burke.
The striker's clever shot beat James Talbot but struck the far post.
Burke could have done better six minutes later, when Rob Cornwall coughed up possession and Rovers worked it to the Ireland international, but he was in two minds and scuffed his shot across the face of goal.
Bohs increasingly struggled to create forward momentum as the half progressed and the whistle for the interval sparked by a confrontation between Rovers' assistant boss Glenn Cronin and Bohs' goalkeeping coach Chris Bennion, with both booked by ref Neil Doyle when the sides re-emerged for the second half.
And, crucially, the Gypsies returned to the fray with a renewed focus that earned them the crucial breakthrough.
The league's top scorer Kelly showed the way with a barnstorming run that resulted in his shot deflected for a corner.
Then when Chris McCann was booked for a foul on Devoy just outside the Hoops box, Coote's attempt to find the top corner with the free-kick flew just over.
He didn't have to wait long to celebrate, however. Liam Burt had received some rough treatment throughout the game and Finn was shown the yellow for chopping him down 25 yards out.
When the free was eventually taken, Anto Breslin touched into the path of Coote and Mannus couldn't get near the right-foot rocket.
Rovers needed to find a response and it came 10 minutes later. In heavy traffic, James Talbot could only palm away Burke's free from the right.
Aaron Greene was first to the loose ball, chipping to the back post where Lopes challenged in the air, then reacted first to swing a boot at it but Talbot was right there to bravely smother.
Moments later, ex-Bohs pair Mandroiu and Dylan Watts were sent on to try to salvage the situation but Mannus was called on to stop Ross Tierney's daisy-cutter on the turn.
But the hosts then conceded in the 78th minute, and just after losing centre-half Ciaran Kelly to injury.
This time Lopes did find the net from close range as he volleyed home Finn's knock-back, setting up a dramatic finale that saw temperatures reach boiling point a minute later after Bohs hit the woodwork.
Coote drove into the box and pulled the ball back for the onrushing Devoy, whose shot thundered off the crossbar.
In the chaotic scenes that followed Kelly was red carded for grabbing Finn on the throat, with the latter also dismissed for a second yellow card.
Bohs were fortunate not to concede moments later when a poor back pass allowed Aidomo Emakhu in.
But Talbot denied him, and his colleague Lyons struck the decisive blow soon after to put the cap on a thrilling second half, though not before Talbot saved twice from Mandroiu.
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