Cork City 2
Bohemians 1
Denis Hurley reports from Turners Cross
CORK CITY WILL face Dundalk in the FAI Cup final for the fourth straight year as goals from Graham Cummins and Karl Sheppard earned them victory over Bohemians in Monday night’s semi-final replay at Turner’s Cross.
Before a crowd of 4,119, the home side led 2-0 after an excellent first-half display but a phenomenal goal from Bohs defender Ian Morris made for an interesting final half-hour as the visitors threw everything forward in their quest to find an equaliser.
Ultimately, they were left frustrated though and City held out to keep alive their hopes of a three in a row.
The Rebel Army were by far the better team in the first half, enjoying a near-monolopy on possession, and they were rewarded on the half-hour as Cummins headed home when Seán McLoughlin helped on a Shane Griffin free kick.
Six minutes later, Cummins was the provider as he got a flick on a Mark McNulty clearance, allowing Sheppard to round Shane Supple and slide the ball home, and a 2-0 interval lead was fair.
City tired in the second half though and Bohs got back into it as Morris launched a pildriver to the top corner from 35 yards or so, with the goal given by goal-line official Ben Connolly after the bounced had bounced down and out from the crossbar.
Given renewed hope, Bohs poured forward but the City defence held firm thereafter, with no clear-cut chances allowed and the visitors restricted to shots from distance. City face Dundalk in the final on Sunday 4 November.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy, Alan Bennett, Seán McLoughlin, Shane Griffin; Jimmy Keohane, Gearóid Morrissey (Conor McCormack 67); Karl Sheppard (Aaron Barry 89), Garry Buckley, Kieran Sadlier (Barry McNamee 77); Graham Cummins.
BOHEMIANS: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Rob Cornwall, Ian Morris, Darragh Leahy; Danny Grant (Ali Reghba 77), JJ Lunney, Keith Buckley (Dan Byrne 90), Kevin Devaney; Dinny Corcoran, Keith Ward (Eoghan Stokes 86).
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin)
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Thanks Cork. Waterford back in European football
@sean de paore: A pleasure, you play some great football there in Waterford, with some savage players, hope you can keep them for the Euro campaign.
City deserved the win over the 90 minutes. Holding on for the last 15+ minutes but Bohs never created anything – aside from the possibility of a 40 yard pile driver. It was an incredible goal from Morris in fairness.
Delighted to be heading up to HQ again. This might at least make up for a poor league season. Great Bohs goal in the second half.
Cork are crap
@John O Reilly: Yeah, thats why they are in their 4th cup final in a row, good comment though, well thought out, Bohs fan maybe?