Garnett suffered a heart breaking defeat against arch rivals Fitzgeralds in their biggest game of the season as their cup jinx continued.

Garnett were left ruing three early goals against as they crashed out of the cup despite dominating the last seventy minutes of the game and creating the chances to win comfortably.

Garnett were three down in twenty minutes as Craig Rowson described a fluke, a foul and an "iffy penalty" as the Green and Black were second to too many balls and struggled to get their passing going on a poor surface. Once Garnett switched back to their normal 4-4-2 after the second goal they settled down to launch a stirring comeback. Alex Martin returned the ball in to the danger are after a set piece and diminutive Jason Thompson headed home to give Garnett some confidence. By half time Rich Watson and man of match Shaun Cavanagh could have equalized as Garnett started to create chances.

At half time the lads rallied round and there was real belief. Fitzgeralds were now on the back foot and it is hard to remember them having an attempt on goal from inside the box apart from their goals. Thompson was almost in from a Mercer through pass and then missed an open goal from a Danny Sherwood cross. Rich Watson again missed the target when his pace had taken him through. It was no surprise when Sherwood equalized with a cool penalty, after the Fitzgeralds sweeper had yet again upended him. It was all Garnett now and it looked certain that the comeback would be completed especially when Sherwood had the goal at his mercy from a Watson cross, somehow the brave home keeper kept the ball out and Fitzgeralds scrambled it clear. It was clear Garnett's fitness was making a real difference but Fitzgeralds still had some very dangerous forwards, agonizingly one of then set up a clincher with five minutes left.

As disappointing as this result was Garnett could be proud of the character they showed and use this result to spur them on for the rest of the season.

Team: J.Poole (D.Martin), T.Webb, C.Rowson, N.Hindley, A.Martin, S.Cavanagh, R.Watson, D.Mercer, D.Sherwood 1, D.Alexander (D.Corcoran) J.Thompson 1