Wayside Celtic 3-4 St. Mochtas | FAI Cup First Round

The FAI Cup served up a classic giant‑killing scare as Wayside Celtic pushed St. Mochtas all the way before falling 4-3 in a nine‑goal thriller on May 16, 2026. The non‑league hosts gave a tremendous account of themselves, but it was the visitors who held their nerve to progress.

Match Action

St. Mochtas, playing three divisions above their opponents, started brightly and raced into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. Goals from Robbie Murray and Cian O’Sullivan seemed to settle any nerves. But Wayside Celtic stunned everyone by pulling one back just before half‑time through a well‑taken volley from Mark Donegan.

The second half was pure chaos. St. Mochtas restored their two‑goal cushion in the 52nd minute, only for Wayside to hit back immediately – Andrew Walsh scored from a corner to make it 3-2. The home crowd roared, and in the 68th minute, David O’Connor completed the comeback, scoring from close range to make it 3-3.

Decisive Strike

With extra time looming, St. Mochtas showed their class. A swift counter‑attack in the 82nd minute saw Eoin Brady drive into the box and slot home the winner. Wayside Celtic pushed desperately for another equaliser but could not find a way through.

FAI Cup Story

The result sends St. Mochtas into the second round, where they will face higher‑division opposition. For Wayside Celtic, the performance was a credit to their club, and they exit the competition with heads held high after a memorable cup tie.