FAI CUP: Sligo Rovers 1 - 0 Cork City

Sligo Rovers have progressed to the Quarter-Finals of the FAI Ford Cup following a 1-0 victory over Cork City at The Showgrounds on Saturday evening.

Following a first-half of little action, a second-half header from Gavin Peers proved to be the difference between the sides as they reached the last eight of the competition for the fourth time in five years.

A drab first 45 minutes in miserable conditions produced very little to get excited about, Danny North having the best chance of the half when he ran on to a through ball from Kieran Djilali but was denied by Mark McNulty.

A powerful 57^th minute effort from Raffaele Cretaro sparked the game into life when his strike from the edge of the box forced McNulty into a save.

From the resulting corner, Rovers took the lead when a cross from Kieran Djilali found Gavin Peers in the box who headed home to give them home side a deserved lead.

Rovers could have doubled their lead just minutes later when Seamus Conneely crossed for Danny North, but the striker’s scuffed shot fell to Cretaro who drove an angled effort narrowly wide of the post.

Just a minute later, North controlled the ball on the edge of the box and rolled it back for Kieran Djilali who tried his luck from long range and he wasn’t far away as his shot flew just inches wide of the target.

North was now beginning to cause problems for the defence, this time he beat Danny Murphy and the left and squared a ball for David Cawley, but the midfielder could not get enough power behind his shot to beat McNulty.

Cretaro had one last opportunity to score the goal he would have thoroughly deserved in injury time when he burst into the box from out wide, but much like Cawley’s effort, he lacked the required power behind his shot to worry the Cork custodian.

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Jeff Henderson, Aaron Greene; David Cawley, Seamus Conneely (Lee Lynch, 79), Joseph Ndo, Kieran Djilali, Raffaele Cretaro; Danny North (Anthony Elding, 86).

Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Danny Ventre, Pascal Millien, Liam Martin.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Danny Murray, Kalen Spillane, Danny Murphy;  Ian Turner, John Dunleavy, Shane Duggan, John Kavanagh (Colin Healy, 79), Stephen Kenny (Robert Lehane, 85); Danny Morrisey.

Subs not used: David Ryan, Brian Lenihan, Eoghan Murphy, Darren Murphy.

Referee: Paul Tuite

Attendance: 1,978

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Alan Keane (Sligo Rovers).