Inter Pirelli, four times winners of the Sunday County Cup are out of this year’s competition.
The Carlisle side have dominated the Cup in recent years but slipped to a 3-2 extra time defeat at West Cumberland Sunday League leaders Parkside.
It was a full-blooded Cup-tie with meaty tackles, a spate of yellow cards and in extra time a player from each side was sent off.
In fact it finished ten against nine as Pirelli also had two sin binnings and a second red card.
The holders also felt hard done to that they had a goal from Alex Bell chalked off for offside which would have put them 2-1 ahead late in the game.
Both teams had missed chances before Inter went ahead through Jordan Irving and it was near the end of 90 minutes when Ben McCarron forced extra time with the late equaliser.
Two goals from Marcus Atkinson in the added 30 minutes won it for Parkside although the champions pulled one back late on through Jordy Atkinson and fought hard to maintain their great run in the competition, but in the end probably ill-discipline cost them.
Northside, who have won everything out west except the County Cup, stayed on course to end their search for the Holy Grail when they beat Denton Holme 4-3.
Again this one went to extra time before the west Cumbrians grabbed the winner after their hosts had come back level on three occasions.
Northside didn’t exactly help their cause by missing two penalties but were eventually roared to victory by a strong and vocal travelling support.
It was a frantic opening 20 minutes before Northside skipper, and eventual man of the match Chad Grisedale, gave them the lead.
After Denton Holme levelled with a Jordan Holt penalty, Grisedale scored again to regain the lead but a second goal for the Carlisle side from Tom Hickey took it to extra-time.
Nathan Nowak edged Northside back in front but Denton Holme refused to go away and they levelled for a third time through Holt.
Time was running out when Tony Berwick scored the fourth and winning goal for Northside before it went to a penalty shoot-out.
In the semi-finals to be played on April 7 it’s east v west again with Parkside drawn at home to Jovial Sailor and Northside facing a trip to Scotby.
There were matches in the West Cumberland Sunday League with FC Cosmos and Moresby Rangers scaring eight goals.
Lewis Park scored all four for Cosmos with Moresby sharing the spoils through Taylor Hambling (2), Callum Jackson and Tor Pattinson.
In the third Premier Division game Lowca were 3-0 winners against Thornhill with goals from Owen Woodburn (2) and Shane Tyson.
A Division One thriller saw The Sun beat Royal Oak 4-3 with a Jamie Pattinson hat-trick crucial in the win. Brandon O’Fee scored the other Sun goal.
Royal Oak stayed in the contest with goals from Alan Sim, Carl Lofthouse and Brandon Tolson.
A Tier 2 League Cup game finished all square – Senhouse 2, Bluebell 2.
Terry Wharrier and Paul Brown netted for Senhouse Street with Carl Denvir notching both for the Bluebell.
A Tier 3 League Cup game saw Flimby win 3-0 at Swan with goals from Dylan Turner (2) and Owen Lucas.
Fixtures for this Sunday are as follows:-
Premier Division – Parkside v FC Cosmos; Moresby v Dearham.
Division One – Flimby v Senhouse; Seaton v Sun Inn.
Albert Murphy Cup semi-final – Northside v Salterbeck.
League Cup Tier 2 – Thornhill v Bluebell.
League Cup Tier 3 – King’s Arms v Swan Inn; Royal Oak v The Sun.
