Shamrock Rovers 0
Cork City 5
SEAN MAGUIRE’S HAT-TRICK ensured that Shamrock Rovers slumped to their heaviest defeat in Tallaght and their worst ever FAI Cup result as they lost 5-0 to Cork City in their quarter-final tonight.
On a rain-soaked night in South County Dublin, the game exploded into life after just four minutes when Maguire rounded Barry Murphy and scored from an acute angle.
It was Garry Buckley’s defence-splitting pass that created the opening for Maguire, and the former had a goal of his own eight minutes later when he guided a beautiful shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Sandwiched between those two goals was a chance for Rovers’ Aaron Dobbs, but the youngster saw his strike from close range saved by Mark McNulty.
Pat Cregg also went close when his poked shot was deflected behind for a corner kick, while a scuffle between the two sets of players drew a yellow card for Rovers’ David Webster and similar cautions for City’s Steven Beattie and Buckley.
City appeared to be toying with the Hoops at times in the opening half, and when a slick passing move involving Gearoid Morrissey and Maguire ripped the home side’s defence apart, Karl Sheppard finished to make it 3-0.
If Stephen Bradley had laid out a gameplan for the second half during his team-talk at the break, his words were wasted as his team were 4-0 down inside 47 seconds of the restart.
Maguire pounced when Shane Heaney failed to clear a long ball, and he had his first hat-trick for City minutes later when Dooley teed him up to fire through the legs of Barry Murphy.
City had further chances to score as Rovers struggled to build any momentum, while Stephen Bradley continued his policy of giving youth a chance by bringing on Aaron Bolger who played twice during the week for the Republic of Ireland U17s.
In truth, it was men against boys for the 90 minutes, with Cork City bossing their opponents across the pitch, and they thoroughly deserved their win.
Shamrock Rovers: Murphy, Cornwall, Webster, Heaney (K Brennan, 60), Madden, T Clarke, McCabe, Cregg, McPhail (Bolger, 70), Boyd, Dobbs (D Clarke, 46).
Cork City: McNulty, Bennett, Browne, Beattie (McSweeney, 62), K O’Connor, Bolger (Healy, 51), Buckley (Holohan, 51), G Morrissey, Sheppard, Maguire, Dooley.
Referee: David McKeon.
