Challenge Cup exit for OMP

Two former giants of the Meath & District League squared-up for a place in the last four of the Challenge Cup in Navan on Sunday morning and Dromin Utd advanced to the stage where they perished last year. Navan side OMP Utd provided the quarter-final opposition on this occasion and with some quality players in each team, the fare on offer was entertaining with the Louth men worthy of an extra-time victory. Brian Sharkey was solid at the centre of the back four for Dromin and in Fabio Teles they had an inventive striker who claimed a hat-trick and took his tally for the season to an impressive 25. From Portugal, Teles had earned the nickname Schillaci from the OMP sideline by the time the final whistle came around. Always playing on the shoulder of the last defender he was a constant threat and took some punishment for the 120 minutes. The worst was inflicted in a race for the ball in which he finished second to OMP 'keeper David Nolan, but that didn't deter the forward who will pose a real threat to Knightsbrook in the semi-final on Sunday week. That threat was probably identified by watching Knightsbrook manager Mick Craig who will apply his own brand of Scottish tactics in an effort to curtail that threat. Both teams were dead on their feet at the end and that wasn't surprising as the pace of the game over 90 minutes was impressive. The Navan men dictated the opening exchanges and could have had three or four goals banked by half-time. That they turned over at 1-1 was their downfall because Dromin gradually wrestled the initiative and were able to grind out a result. OMP had their own international flavour in the form of Romanian Maddie Enlionell who pulled the strings at midfield in the opening half and created chances for Ciaran tansey, Andrew Kearney and Daire Corcoran. Barry Carlton also enjoyed a good opening half and fired OMP into the lead after 35 minutes with a great volley from inside the Driomin penalty area. OMP failed to build on that defensive lapse close to the interval gave Teles the opening for an equaliser. Teles and Dean McLoughlin went close for Dromin in the second-half while Greg Halpin had a good effort cleared away for a corner at the other end. Extra-time was only 13 seconds old when OMP gifted Dromin the lead. They played the ball back from the kick-off, but the defenders were on different wavelengths and Teles capitalised. OMP stormed back and Carlton's free from outside the box was on the way into the top corner until Dromin custodian Tommy Melia earned his corn with a spectacular save. Dispirited OMP were on the ropes when Teles completed his hat-trick soon after. Dromin manager Jim McLoughlin was pleased with his side's performance, but maintained that he wasn't expecting anything easy from Knightsbrook in the semi-final. Dromin Utd - T Melia; G Garvey, G Conlon, B Sharkey, C Sheehy, A McLoughlin, C Lambe, N McLoughlin, D McLoughlin, F Teles, T O'Hare. Sub - D Donovan for A McLoughlin. OMP Utd - D Nolan; D McElroy, G Halpin, E Donoghue, R Clarke, B Carlton, M Enlionell, Joey Rogers, C Tansey, A Kearney, D Corcoran. Subs - John Rogers for Tansey, D Murray for Kearney.