FAI Cup: Cork City 2 - 2 Bohemians
Credit:
Dan Murray struck an 88th minute equaliser in a pulsating 2-2 draw to deny Bohemians a place in the quarter-final of the Ford FAI Cup at Turner’s Cross on Friday night.
Bohemians led twice through Dinny Corcoran but Cork hit back through Billy Dennehy and Murray’s late equaliser to force a replay at Dalymount Park on Monday.
Bohemians were the better side for much of the clash and will rue Murray’s late goal after Corcoran looked to have settled the tie with his second goal in the 83rd minute.
The injured Michael Rafter, Rob Lehane, John O'Flynn and Gavin Kavanagh missed out for Cork with recent signing Ross Gaynor cup-tied.
Anto Murphy was the only injury absentee for Bohs but Roberto Lopes was ruled out through suspension with Jack Memery tied up with college commitments.
The first chance of the game fell to Cork’s Garry Buckley after seven minutes but the tall midfielder snatched at the volley in the box after Billy Dennehy’s cross from the left.
The Gypsies looked the fresher side early on, perhaps due to the longer break after the controversial postponement of their Shamrock Rovers fixture on Monday, but Jason Byrne’s volley in the 10th minute flew well over the bar.
Cork showed the first glimpse of invention on 19 minutes when Garry Buckley, Colin Healy and Gearóid Morrissey combined in the middle of the park with the ball eventually threaded through for Dennehy on the left wing and his dangerous cross was met by Josh O’Shea at the back post but Aidan Price made a crucial block for the visitors.
That chance sparked a frenetic spell that ended with both sides scratching their heads wondering how the game was still scoreless.
First, O’Shea was denied by a brilliant reaction save from Dean Delany on 21 minutes before the Bohs ‘keeper got down low to his left to save from Mark O’Sullivan.
Bohemians then had a penalty claim turned down at the other end when Healy clashed with Jason Byrne in the box but referee Paul McLaughlin waved away the appeals.
Corcoran came closest to breaking the deadlock moments later but his superb curling effort from 20 yards struck the post with the striker then lashing the rebound inches wide.
It was the hosts’ turn to hit the woodword on the half hour as Healy’s delivery from the right found the unmarked O’Shea at the back post but the winger could only hit the upright when he should have done better.
The Gypsies hit the front on 32 minutes when Corcoran struck the bouncing ball expertly into the bottom corner from the edge of the box after Devaney flicked on Keith Buckley’s throw-in from the right.
The lead should have been doubled just before the break with Corcoran guilty of another miss, this time volleying over from six yards.
The second half continued as the first ended with Bohemians looking more likely to score and they really should have put the result beyond doubt just past the hour.
Cork piled the men forward for a corner but the Gypsies won possession and made a three-on-one break on the counter-attack but City captain John Dunleavy did brilliantly to clear the danger.
And Bohs were made to pay for those missed chances when City grabbed an unlikely equaliser through Billy Dennehy in the 70th minute.
Dennehy, in full-flow, was taken down by Buckley just inside the box and the penalty was awarded. Dennehy himself stood up to take the penalty and, although Delany easily saved his spot-kick, the winger followed up to pass the ball into the net.
City, sensing a winner, continued to push men forward and they were made to pay by Corcoran who clinically added his second after Jason Byrne’s cross from the right in the 83rd minute.
That goal looked to have sent the Gypsies into the hat for the quarter-final draw but Murray popped up with two minutes remaining to blast into the bottom corner after a goalmouth scramble that followed Dennehy’s cross from the left.
Cork City: Mark McNulty, Michael McSweeney (John Kavanagh 76), Darren Dennehy, Dan Murray, John Dunleavy; Josh O’Shea (Danny Morrissey 59), Garry Buckley (Cillian Morrison 80), Colin Healy, Gearóid Morrissey, Billy Dennehy; Mark O’Sullivan.
Subs not used: Gavin Kavanagh, Dave O’Leary, Kevin O’Brien, Liam Kearney.
Booked: John Dunleavy (27), Colin Healy (37)
Bohemians: Dean Delany; Keith Buckley, Aidan Price, Daniel Byrne, Steven Beattie; Kevin Devaney, Dave Mulcahy (C), Eoin Wearen, Karl Moore; Dinny Corcoran, Jason Byrne.
Subs not used: Aaron Shanahan, Jake Hyland, Paddy Kavanagh, Adam Evans, Stephen Best, Craig Walsh.
Booked: Keith Buckley, Aidan Price (52)
Referee: Paul McLaughlin
Attendance: 2,197
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Dinny Corcoran (Bohemians)
