It looked for all the world that Matt Doherty's goal and assist were enough to secure a date with Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Doherty's incredible personal campaign continued on Sunday afternoon, when the Irishman's headed goal against Watford in the first half of their FA Cup semi-final made Wolves fans dream.
After the break, it was Doherty's turn to play provider and he flighted a perfect cross into the Watford box which was taken down by Raul Jimenez and finished brilliantly.
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But a moment of absolute genius from Watford substitute Gerard Deulofeu turned the game on its head in the 79th minute before a late penalty from Troy Deeney set up extra time at Wembley.
In the first period of extra time, Deulofeu netted his second of the afternoon and completed the comeback for the Hornets.
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Doherty will be left wondering how he is not playing in his first FA Cup final after becoming the player with most direct involvement in goals in the FA Cup this season (four goals and three assists).
The 27-year-old still finds himself behind Everton's Seamus Coleman in the Republic of Ireland pecking order, with Mick McCarthy insisting that Doherty will have to wait his turn.
After last month's narrow victory over Gibraltar in his first game back in the Ireland dugout, McCarthy admitted that his experiment of playing both Coleman and Doherty at the same time didn't work.
"It's unfortunate for them but it's not unfortunate for me because if one of them is injured I've got another good one," McCarthy said of his right-back options after the 1-0 win over Georgia.
"I said when I first got the job, I'll play one of them and I'll talk about the one that doesn't play.
"Then, of course, I played the pair of them and it didn't work. So I'm playing Seamus and I'm afraid it's just tough on the Doc. And if he gets in for any reason then it's his place to keep."
Feisty from Heimir. Heimir Hallgrimsson announced his Ireland squad earlier today, ahead of next week’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia. There were four uncapped players named – Harvey Vale, James Abankwah, Bosun Lawal, Josh Keeley – with Lawal in with a good shot of getting a debut, following an injury to midfielder Josh Cullen. […]
Fans are puzzled. Heimir Hallgrimsson has announced his Ireland squad for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia next Thursday. There was even more big news, with the manager revealing at the end of the press conference that he has signed a new contract until the end of the Euro 2028 campaign. Hallgrimsson stated that […]
A huge occasion. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has named his squad for his side’s crucial World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia next Thursday (kick-off, 7.45pm). The winner of the tie will face the winner of Denmark vs North Macedonia on Tuesday, 31 March. QPR attacking midfielder and former England U20s star, Harvey Vale, has been […]