Cork City are through to the quarter finals of the EA Sports Cup after a deserved 1-0 win against Wexford Youths today.
Tommy Dunne made numerous changes to his usual line-up. James McCarthy, Ian Turner, Timmy Kiely and Vincent Escudé-Candau were given starts, while Stephen Mulcahy returned from his lengthy injury.
The opening exchanges were lacklustre, however McCarthy was called into action for City after a tame back pass from Danny Murphy left him to kick the ball out for a corner. City started to put some of their click passing moves together, allowing Timmy Kiely to shoot from distance but he didn’t trouble Packie Holden. Vinny Sullivan had the best chance of the half after ten minutes, his one two with Escudé-Candau gave him a sight at goal but his strike bounced off the post and was cleared.
Mulcahy could have marked his return with a goal midway through the half, but he headed over from Gearóid Morrissey’s corner. Danny Furlong had a half chance for Youths down the other end, but his tame effort was saved well by McCarthy. Davin O’Neill had a golden opportunity to put City ahead in the tie just before the break, Shane Duggan’s cross was met by the Cobh man but he headed the ball over the bar.
The deadlock was broken shortly after the restart. Stephen Mulcahy marked his return to first team action with the decisive goal, heading home from Morrissey’s corner kick. The City defender showd little sign of rust going forward and defending as he and Kalen Spillane were comfortable throughout. The Leesiders had two chances to kill off the game, first Escudé-Candau heading straight at Holden, and Vinny Sullivan missing from 6 yards out with the goal at his mercy.
Shane Duggan smacked the ball off the upright shortly before the end, and it looked less likely that City would add to their single goal. Captain for the day Danny Murphy was shown red in injury time to dissent, but it was too little to late for Youths as City held out for the victory.
Wexford Youths
Starting Line-Up: Patrick Holden, Martin Kehoe, Karl Keogh, Gareth McCurtin, Anthony Wolfe, Shane Nolan, Craig Wall, Darragh Walshe, Greg Yelverton, Danny Furlong, Kevin Rowe.
Substitutes: Ben Ryan for Walshe (mins), Eoin Kinsella for Wall (85mins). Subs not used: Robert Dempsey, Michael Mullen.
Cork City
Starting Line-Up: James McCarthy, Ian Turner, Stephen Mulcahy, Kalen Spillane, Danny Murphy, Timmy Kiely, Gearóid Morrissey, Shane Duggan, Davin O’Neill, Vincent Escudé-Candau, Vinny Sullivan.
Substitutes: Gavin Kavanagh for Morrissey (90mins). Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Kieran Kenneally, Graham Cummins, Simon Holland, Rory Morrissey.
Referee: Jim McKell.
Attendance: 200 (approximately).
