Stephen Bermingham proud but Cork City U19s bow out in Rome

AS Roma 1 Cork City 0 (Roma win 4-1 on aggregate): As David Coffey, who spent the previous five minutes down injured, risked life and limb to fling himself across goal and deny Emanuele Spinozzi Roma’s second in the dying embers of yesterday’s game, he summed up Cork City Under 19s’ admirable European campaign.

Having gone toe-to-toe against the reigning Italian champions for 180 minutes, in the end a missed penalty and two late goals in the first leg ultimately cost the Rebel Army, who could even have grabbed an equaliser late on in Rome had Denzel Fernandez’s volley dipped under the crossbar.

“The performance from every single one of them was exceptional, not just tonight but in the home leg as well,” said a disappointed but proud City boss Stephen Bermingham afterwards.