Cork City 1
Linfield 1
(Cork City win 2-1 on aggregate)
CORK CITY WILL meet Sweden’s BK Hacken in the second qualifying round of the Europa League next week after they prevailed against Linfield at Turner’s Cross tonight, but it wasn’t a stress-free journey.
Leading 1-0 after last week’s first leg at Windsor Park, City appeared to be safe when Seán Maguire’s penalty put them ahead on the night in the 49th minute but that lead lasted just three minutes.
When Linfield defender Mark Stafford got on the end of a free kick by former City man Ross Gaynor, it meant that another goal for the visitors would put them ahead on away goals, but unfortunately for David Healy’s side it remained elusive.
Instead, the home team continued to press and a second goal would have come but for an inspired goalkeeping performance from former Manchester United man Roy Carroll. He denied Danny Morrissey, Maguire and Gearoid Morrissey before a City breakaway at the death saw the ball end up at the feet of Mark O’Sullivan 10 yards but Carroll smothered his effort.
City had the better of the play in the first half but chances were rare, with Steven Beattie having the best of them early on only for Carroll to give a glimpse of what was to come. Linfield didn’t offer much but their menace from set-pieces was well-known and it ensured they had a way back into the tie after Maguire’s opener, the striker having been pushed by Matthew Clarke.
Three minutes later, Gaynor’s delivery was perfect to allow Stafford to level, but it was as good as it got for them.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeeney (Mark O’Sullivan 56), Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; Gearóid Morrissey, Garry Buckley (Colin Healy 65); Steven Beattie, Gavan Holohan (Danny Morrissey 56), Stephen Dooley; Seán Maguire.
LINFIELD: Roy Carroll; Matthew Clarke (Michael McLellan 89), Mark Stafford, Mark Haughey, Niall Quinn; Kirk Millar (Aaron Burns 78), Stephen Lowry, Jamie Mulgrew, Ross Gaynor; Paul Smith, Andrew Waterworth.
Referee: Bartosz Frankowski (Poland).
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