FAI Cup Final Report: Cork City 1 - 0 Dundalk (AET)
Credit: Michael P Ryan (ETPhotos)
Cork City ended their nine-year drought for an FAI Cup triumph with a 121st minute winner to devastate Dundalk’s hopes of achieving the double for the second year in succession.
Sean Maguire’s deflected shot on the turn seconds before full-time gave John Caulfield his first trophy from three years in charge of the Rebels to spark wild celebrations in the Cork end and dug-out alike.
The tie had looked as if it was heading inevitably to a penalty shoot-out with neither side really forcing the issue in the extra 30 minutes.
Maguire’s goal though will be toasted for years to come on Leeside as it won City their third FAI Cup. For Dundalk, it’s a crushing blow especially with a penalty shoot-out being the least that they deserved having been the more adventurous in the final 15 minutes of extra-time.
The Lilywhites must now recover though with their European campaign still alive, as next up is AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on November 24.
Caulfield’s troops were actually looking to gain their fourth victory from five meetings with the Lilywhites this season, although Gearoid Morrissey was the only newcomer to Rebels side that lost against the cup holders at Oriel Park a month ago.
The game was expected to be feisty and that was how it panned out. As early as the third minute there was blood shed when Chris Shields clashed with his midfield counterpart Morrissey. The former Dundalk skipper emerged after treatment with a mummy-like bandage stricken across his forehead.
Shields lined up alongside Stephen O’Donnell in midfield, replacing John Mountney, with the return of the Lilywhites captain the sole change from the XI which started in St. Petersburg on Thursday night.
Ronan Finn stood out in the first half of the Louthmen’s mid-week Europa League tie and the City midfield were intent on letting neither the ex-UCD man nor his colleagues get into their rhythm, mostly by cynical means.
O’Donnell, Ronan Finn and David McMillan were each hacked down during a first half which tested the leniency of referee Rob Rogers.
The first opening was 20 minutes in coming. With the Rebels intent on blocking the supply to Daryl Horgan, Sean Gannon was left in acres of space on the right flank and Andy Boyle’s excellent diagonal pass found him stealing in behind Cork’s rearguard. He found the inrushing Horgan but the Galwegian’s snap-shot went off target.
The play eventually opened up coming into half time with Karl Shepperd almost creating the opener for Sean Maguire following excellent build-up from Garry Buckley and Morrissey.
Maguire had a thankless task throughout, up against the physically superior Brian Gartland and Boyle at the back for the Lilywhites, especially with the supply being less than competent.
David McMillan was heralded as “a very good goal scorer” by his manager mid-week and the striker could have gone up in Stephen Kenny’s estimations prior to half time. When played through by Horgan, McMillan unleashed a powerful effort which Mark McNulty saved incredibly to his left.
The opening half fell well below expectations in truth, and it was scoreless at the interval.
The Rebels emerged as a different team on the restart and had several half chances before Cork veteran Bennett saw his 60th minute header cleared off the line by Gannon as the Leesiders built-up ahead of steam.
Dundalk began losing their discipline with Finn, O’Donnell and Dane Massey having their names taken, however, they were not made to pay with Gary Rogers in confident mood between the sticks.
Cork were the more dominant side after half time, although it had looked as if the Lilywhites had weathered the storm until Morrissey let a stinging shot fly from 20-yards in the 75th minute, forcing Rogers to save and parry clear as Maguire sniffed the breakthrough.
The league champions possess a deadly counter-attack and had Ronan Finn found the killer-ball to substitute Ciaran Kilduff ten minutes from time the striker would surely have given Dundalk the cup. Finn held on to the ball for moments too long though as the opening was spurned.
Rogers saved Dundalk again after that chance. A Gartland slip allowed Seanie Maguire to turn and find Chiedozie Ogbene. The Cork under-19 winger must have thought he was about to score the winner until Rogers somehow saved yet again.
Kilduff had another chance to win it on the stroke of the 90 after meeting Horgan’s cross, but his header went horribly over the bar despite being unopposed in the air.
Extra-time produced little in the way of opportunities although it was Dundalk who somehow found the energy to pour forward with more intent. Dean Shiels’ introduction added a lease of life with the Northern Irish international standing out. If there was going to be a winner, Shiels for the Lilywhites and Ogbene for Cork lucked to be the likeliest candidates.
Horgan and Finn came excruciatingly close to becoming the hero with both seeing shots go close. Spot-kicks always seemed on the cards. That was until Maguire, the ghost of Dundalk’s past, shattered the Lilywhites’ hopes as the ball cruelly deflected off Gartland and into the bottom corner.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Steven Beattie, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; Gearoid Morrissey (Colin Healy 99), Greg Bolger (Mark O’Sullivan 95), Garry Buckley; Karl Sheppard (Chiedozie Ogbene 78), Sean Maguire, Stephen Dooley.
Subs not used: Matthew Connor (gk), Gavan Holohan, Michael McSweeney, Ian Turner.
Booked: Greg Bolger (23), Alan Bennett (32).
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Chris Shields (John Mountney 55), Stephen O’Donnell; Patrick McEleney (Dean Shiels 77), Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan; David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 79).
Subs not used: Gabriel Sava (gk), Paddy Barrett, Ciaran O’Connor, Alan Keane.
Booked: Chris Shields (45), Ronan Finn (58), Dane Massey (64), Stephen O’Donnell (65).
Attendance: 26,400.
Referee: Rob Rogers.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ronan Finn (Dundalk).
