Cork City 5 - 1 Wexford Youths

Just the tonic for Cork City as they got a straightforward win under their belts against a weakened Wexford Youths at Turner’s Cross on Monday night.

After a disappointing start to the league campaign has given slight cause for concern on Leeside, this will be a welcome boost ahead of their game against Bray Wanderers at the same venue on Friday night.

Just a paltry crowd of 543 made the most of the fine spring weather to watch a strong enough City side line up against a very weak Wexford team, and there was little doubt once the deadlock was broken who would be progressing into the next round, the home side eventually ending up with five confidence boosting goals, Youths' solitary reply coming from Dean Broaders in the final act of the game.

Last year’s finalists started promisingly, Gearóid Morrissey striking wide from 22 yards after seven minutes. The 433 formation, used effectively in the Munster Senior Cup seven days previously against Waterford United, allowed City plenty of width going forward and they dominated both in terms of possession and territory.

Youths, having made nine changes from the side that travelled to Ballybofey on Saturday, never really made it out of their own half and after a few efforts from range, Cork broke the deadlock midway through the half thanks to Daryl Horgan, his curler making its way past Cormac O’Brien after a pass from Colin Healy.

It was all one way traffic as Jamie Murphy went close to adding a second, his drive flying narrowly wide of O’Brien’s right hand post, though the advantage was doubled five minutes before the break through Kalen Spillane.

The defender knows he’ll have to impress to earn his place in the starting side back after Dan Murray’s return and he did his hopes no harm with a wonderful strike from over 30 yards when drilling powerfully to the net. Defensively, he had little to do in the middle with captain Murray and Youths’ lack of threat allowed John Dunleavy and Danny Murphy plenty of opportunity to burst forward at will.

City’s dominance continued in the second period as Tadhg Purcell and Jamie Murphy had attempts but the home side remained content to keep the ball. Purcell finally got off the mark in the City shirt after some very sloppy defending from Youths allowed  the striker in and he finished past a hapless O’Brien.

Shane Keegan made an attempt to freshen things up, but with the result already decided, Shane Nolan’s introduction for ineffective youngster Chris Fennor, who was making his debut here, made little difference with 20 minutes remaining.

In fact City added to their tally with nine minutes to go as Jamie Murphy scored for the third consecutive cup game when he scrambled the ball over the line from six yards before Davin O’Neill made it 5-0 four minutes later with a terrific strike to the top left corner.

Broaders did manage to strike home a consolation with a lovely finish but the whistle went immediately afterwards as City booked their place in the second round.

Cork City: Kevin Burns; John Dunleavy (Ian Turner 75), Kalen Spillane, Dan Murray, Danny Murphy; Colin Healy, Gearóid Morrissey (Shane O’Connor 69), Cathal Lordan; Daryl Horgan (Davin O’Neill 65), Tadhg Purcell, Jamie Murphy.

Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Gavin Kavanagh, Vinny Sullivan, Danny Morrissey.

Wexford Youths: Cormac O’Brien; Mark Phelan, James Scallon, John Yeats, Shaun Corcoran; Dean Broaders, Paul Malone (Brian Nolan 83), John Yeats (James Darmody 83), Shane Clarke; Chris Fennor (Shane Nolan 71), Thomas Croke.

Subs not used: Sean Allen.

Referee: Padraigh Sutton.

Official attendance: 543

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Kalen Spillane.