CUPSET FANS would have been bitterly disappointed had they made the trip to a chilly Finn Park on Sunday morning with hosts St. Anthony's turning in an assured display to see off Division 2 side Celtic Stars in this second round Wicklow Cup clash.

In the early stages the hosts dominated possession as they probed for an opening but Celtic Stars defence, lead by the brilliant Peter Ryan, stood tall and batted away anything the Premier Division side threw at them.

They looked comfortable under pressure and capable of frustrating the hosts but their game-plan was undone when their goalkeeper Keith Collins gifted the Saints their opener with a very bad error of judgement.

Anto's won the first corner of the game after 13 minutes and right back Stephen Coco Coughlan trotted over to take it. He completely fluffed the flag kick however, with the ball not even reaching the penalty area. Fortunately for Coughlan a team-mate was on hand to lay the ball back out to him and give him another bite of the cherry. His second cross was much better, and Collins flapped at the defenders delivery, calamitously palming the ball into the back of his own goal in the process.

Stars had been under the cosh for the opening quarter hour of the match but they knew they would have to start making some forays into St. Anthony's half of the pitch if they wanted to keep their cup dreams alive and with their first real attack of the game in the 20th minute the Drummin outfit drew level when Peter Ryan rose brilliantly to glance Mark Collins touchline free-kick into the top right hand corner of the net.

The visitors were all smiles after drawing level but those smiles soon turned to scowls when they felt they were wrongly denied a penalty after Mark Egan was sent flying in the penalty area by a strong challenge but referee David Earls wasn't interest and waved play on. And as if that wasn't a bitter enough pill to swallow for the visitors, ten minutes later they watched on as the hosts were rewarded a penalty.

Peter Ryan's clearance was blocked down and Patrick Woods looked to capitalize but the number nine was clattered by keeper Collins as the custodian rushed from his goal, leaving Earls no option but to award the 12-yarder.

Darren Collopy was the man who took the responsibility on his shoulders, and he thumped it straight down the middle to restore his sides lead.

And Anto's then left Stars with a massive uphill second-half task when they gave themselves a two-goal cushion on the stroke of half-time.

Patrick Woods' touch had set up the chance for midfielder Matthew Kennedy, but his thunderous effort cannoned back off the frame of the goal.

The ball then fell for Collopy, who made no mistake, firing home his second goal in nine minutes.

Peter Ryan had a half chance to pull a goal back for his side early in the second period from Mark Egans free-kick but in truth it would have had to have been a very special header to beat Irah Redmond in the Kilcoole sides goal.

And three minutes later the home side all but sealed the win, with Redmond playing a vital role in the goal.

The shot-stopper's long punt up the pitch was flicked on by a Stars defender to Darren Collopy and before you could blink the ball was at Matthew Kennedy's feet.

The powerhouse had been denied by the woodwork in the first-half but this time he did find the net, driving the ball viciously into the goal from 18 yards.

That fourth goal seemed to be the signal for both sides to just casually play out the remainder of the game, but the away side did pull another strike back with five minutes remaining with one of the most bizarre goals you'll see this season.

TJ Byrne led a counter-attack for Stars and the substitute decided to have an extremely optimistic pop from all of 40 yards. His poor effort looked to be heading well wide and certainly shouldn't have troubled Redmond but the Anto's keeper somehow managed to slip and divert the ball into his own goal when coming to claim the shot.

- DANIEL GORMAN