Niall Murphy attributed Coolera-Strandhill’s Connacht club SFC semi-final penalty shootout victory over Ballina Stephenites to the soccer experience in the side.

The Sligo champions prevailed 5-4 in the shootout after the teams had finished level on 0-9 apiece after extra-time at Markievicz Park on Sunday.

"It probably didn't go the way we wanted to go, coming down to penalties which is a brutal way to end the game,” the county team captain told RTÉ.

"But we had practiced penalties a lot during the week. We practiced them before the replay as well.

"We've got a lot of soccer heads here in Sligo, a lot of big soccer clubs as well. So a lot of the boys here play with Strand Celtic and have played soccer at a high level.

"I knew when it got down to the penalties that we'd be okay. On Thursday night training I think I scored 10 or something like that myself."

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