Clinical Cork City get job done in Wexford

Wexford Youths 0 Cork City 2: Cork City grabbed goals towards the end of each half as they ensured there was no cup fairytale for First Division Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park last night.

Cork City produced little in the way of quality football through the opening half hour, being content to hold possession but showing little creativity up front. With the Youths playing five across midfield, they managed to contain the visitors, limiting their shots on goal, but their attacking moments were left to quick counter-attacks.

City in their opening attack saw Karl Sheppard head over from a fine Billy Dennehy fourth minute cross. Both sides were struggling but the Youths gave the visitors a fright when Eric Molloy pulled a right footed cross across goal and wide after 14 minutes, while three minutes later they should have scored. Conor English played a freekick into the area that Dan Murphy seemed to misjudge, leaving Aidan Keenan with a clear shot on goal but he fired too close to keeper Mark McNulty from just a few metres out.

Cork hadn’t been overly impressive the first half but nevertheless they grabbed the all important opening goal, arriving in added time.

Billy Dennehy, having gained possession to the left edge of the area, pulled a great left footed shot across keeper Doyle into the opposite corner of the net, making it 0-1 at the interval with his eighth goal of the season.

The lacklustre football continued through the opening stages of the second half with neither keeper overly troubled until Eric Molloy had a fine 58th minute right footed shot well saved by McNulty.

Neither side produced anything in the way of flowing football with John Caulfield’s City seemingly content to soak up pressure and sit on their single goal lead until three minutes from the end when substitute Mark O’Sullivan finished off the tie.

After his initial effort had been pushed away by Wexford keeper Graham Doyle, O’Sullivan knocked the rebound into an unguarded net to make it 0-2 and ensure the Leesiders’ progress.

WEXFORD YOUTHS:

Graham Doyle, Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney, Ryan Delaney, James Dermody, Peter Higgins, Andy Mulligan, Craig Wall, Conor English, Eric Molloy, Aiden Keenan (Philip Drohan 84).

CORK CITY:

Mark McNulty, John Kavanagh, Darren Dennehy, Dan Murphy, Kevin O’Connor, Gavan Holohan (Liam Kearney 75), Colin Healy,Gary Buckley, John O’Flynn (Mark O’Sullivan 81), Karl Sheppard (Ross Gaynor 58), Billy Dennehy.

Referee:

Graham Kelly (Cork).