IRISH CENTRE can only dream of what might have been following their 3-0 exit from the FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup.
Victory over Stanley Royal in the first round, gave them confidence but it ended at AFC Emley's Welfare Ground by Liverpool side Canada FC.
The visitors were a well-organised side, having reached the latter stages of the competition in recent years, but the final scoreline was a little unfair on the home side.
Irish created the first real chance with Adam Bell and Darren Henighan combining to test the goalkeeper.
But Canada hit back and took the lead following a free kick on the half-way line.
Leighton McGiveron looked to foul the Irish keeper as he came out to collect but the striker turned quickly to score.
Irish mainly pressurised from set pieces but their final ball let them down.
The second half was much the same with neither side taking command but Chris Keady and Richard Walsh could have done better with half chances.
The half sprang into life when Henighan raced onto a through ball but his first touch took him close to the keeper and with neither pulling out the resulting melee ended with the Canada striker sent off for punching an Irish player.
This lifted Irish and for the first time in the game Canada looked ragged but the visitor's soon latched on to a poor delivery at a free kick and broke quickly for Paul Brown to make it 2-0 in the 80th minute and five minutes later it was all over as Gary Reilly made it 3-0.
Irish manager Chris Helliwell said: "Canada are a good side and with a home tie in the next round they could go a long way.
"But we have now got the measure and standard of the competition and look forward to next season."
