What a night it was for Gavan Holohan and his proud Kilkenny supporters shouting from across the pond.
1939 was the last time Grimsby Town had made it to an FA Cup quarter final, however, Wembley is no stranger to Gavan Holohan. The former Evergreen man has made it to England’s premier stadium twice in the last two seasons, winning playoffs with current team Grimsby last season and Hartlepool United the season before.
While they will have a mountain to climb when their next-round opponents are announced, fans will nonetheless dream of a big day after toppling Premier League side Southampton.
Watch: Kilkenny’s Gavan Holohan nets a screamer in Grimsby’s 4-1 win at Chesterfield
Holohan, who has previously scored against Luton in the FA Cup to force that game to a replay, stepped up to the spot just before halftime. Calm as you like, the Kilkenny native cooly slotted it passed Alex McCarthy to send the lowest-ranked team left in the competition into the break 1-0 up.
Then right as the second half began, Holohan made it two. Duje Caleta-Car was deemed to have struck his opponent, and with that Gavan had the chance to double the lead. Once again, not to shy away from the responsibility, he tucked away the penalty to make it 2-0.
Duje Caleta-Car, who had only received a yellow for his precious indiscretion did reduce the lead twenty minutes later. Theo Walcott also had an equaliser ruled out through VAR with ten minutes of normal time remaining.
See also: Kilkenny’s Gavan Holohan joins Grimbsy from Hartlepool
Six minutes of added time made for a nervy finish but The Mariners held out for the win, further compounding the difficulties at Southampton at present and added to the FA Cup shocks of the fifth round with Blackburn Rovers having sent Leicester packing on Tuesday night. Holohan was named man of the match by ITV for his efforts in the game, with the town of Grimsby no doubt wanting to anoint him as their own patron Saint of the FA Cup.
Story developing as we await who Holohan and his teammates get in the next round of the Cup. Magic.
