St Patrick's dreams of a fairytale Leinster Club SFC run were dashed by a penalty shoot-out in Aughrim today and manager Casey O'Brien described it has a 'horrible way to go out' of the competition. 

Spot-kicks were required to determine whether it would be Portlaoise or the Wicklow champions that would advance to a penultimate stage encounter with Eire Og (Carlow) after normal time and extra-time failed to produce a winner.

O'Brien's charges were denied a famous victory when losing 4-5 on penalties.

“It was a horrible way to go out,” he said in a post-match interview with RTE Sport. “We're still unbeaten but we're out of the competition.

“It was a great battle there today with ourselves and Portlaoise. It looked like we were going to get over the line but a draw after extra-time and then losing on penalties is a cruel way to go out.”

The defeated manager called for the return of replays to settle matters in the future.

“We would have had no problem in going down to Portlaoise and playing a replay. Even if you have to play it on a Wednesday night under lights, it’s a better way of going out than on penalties.

“I think it’s something that they have to look at.”

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