Mariner Holohan sets course for FA Cup quarter-finals

Fortune favours the brave and it reaped rewards for Gavan Holohan on Wednesday night as he twice stood up to take a penalty on an FA Cup outing at Premier League side Southampton.

Against all odds, a team from the old fourth division, Grimsby Town, knocked out their esteemed top tier opponents with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Saints at St Mary's.

And it was the former Cork City midfielder Holohan who proved the difference between the two sides as his spot-kick brace sent the Mariners through to the quarter-finals, the first decision coming courtesy of a handball spotted by the video assistant referee.

Nothing fishy about this particular maritime marauding, as Grimsby have cast their net wide throughout this season's FA Cup and put many bigger fries in their place, hooking Championship side Luton, and League 1 trio Plymouth, Cambridge United and Burton Albion ahead of their south coast catch.

"For players playing at our level, you can only dream of days like this," said Holohan, speaking to ITV after the game.

"We had to work unbelievably hard. Lucky there is VAR in the FA Cup or we might have been in a bit of trouble.

"We had to ride our luck a little bit but we knew that would be the case. To a man, we put in an unbelievable shift and I'm so happy for everyone."

It's seven goals now for the season for the established Grimsby midfielder, who also bagged a goal in the previous round against Luton Town.

"The harder I practice, the luckier I get," remarked famed South African golfer, Gary Player, and so it applied to Holohan who admitted that some early morning target practice had paid dividends ahead of the game.

"I fancy myself for a goal, like I always do, but maybe not a brace, and definitely not two penalties.

"You never