Longford Town 1
Cork City 4
Deniese O’Flaherty reporting at the City Calling Stadium.
CORK CITY’S HOPES of a League and FAI Cup double is still on after a rather easy quarter-final win over Longford Town; a side managed by their former star Neale Fenn.
The gulf in class between the two sides was evident from early on with the Premier Division leaders passing the ball around with ease and dictating play.
Gearoid Morrissey and Stephen Dooley had early chances before City broke the deadlock in the 24th minute with Kieran Sadlier scoring directly from a corner. Four minutes later they doubled their advantage with Shane Griffin setting up Jimmy Keohane.
It was all City at this stage with the home side struggling to create any chance of note. In the 32nd minute Keohane forced a save out of Town keeper Jack Brady as John Caulfield’s side continued to apply the pressure.
In the 43rd minute City were awarded a penalty after Brady was adjudged to have taken down Karl Sheppard. Sheppard stepped up and slotted the ball past the netminder.
Things got worse for the home side in the 51st minute when City scored their fourth of the night; Conor McCarthy with a ball over the top and man of the match Sheppard finished for his second of the night.
The home side did pull a goal back in the 64th minute when Peter Hopkins’ ball was directed into his own net by City defender Robbie Williams. Two minutes later David O’Sullivan’s effort was deflected out for a corner.
That was as close as it for Longford Town as City advanced to the semi-finals.
Longford Town: Brady, Friel, Haverty, O’Reilly, Noack-Hofmann, Kehoe (Kehoe 60′), Zambra (c ), Dillon (Cowan ht), Hopkins (Chambers 75′), Verdon, O’Sullivan.
Cork City: McNulty, McCarthy, Williams, Delaney, Bolger (c ), Dooley (Ellis ht), Morrissey, Keohane, Sadlier (Campion 75′), Griffin, Sheppard.
Referee: D Tomney (Dublin)
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