FAI Senior Cup: Cobh Wanderers, Wilton United and Midleton progress 

FAI SENIOR Cup action took centre stage for five of the six Munster Senior League sides that have qualified for the first round of the national competition.

College Corinthians and Midleton are battling it out for league honours and will return their focus to the title race evening, but they each had mixed fortunes in the FAI Cup at the weekend.

Midleton progressed after a 3-0 win at home to St Francis, while Corinthians were beaten 5-4 by Cobh Wanderers in a dramatic and entertaining clash at Corinthians Park.

Keelan Crowley hit a hat-trick and had an assist for Corinthians, but his performance was upstaged by that of Cobh striker Ciaran Griffin who went one better with four goals, two from the penalty spot.

It was a game that ebbed and flowed from start to finish with lots of goal chances from both sides that could have resulted in an even bigger scoreline.

Corinthians took the lead early on when a short kick-out from keeper Gavin Ryan found full-back Adam Walsh on the right who played a low ball into midfielder Deo Munza. Showing good control, he turned and spread the ball wide to Destiny Okonkwo, with a precision pass with the outside of his right foot.

He in turn worked the ball into Mark O’Sullivan who set up Crowley to score with the help of a deflection that deceived Mark Power in the Cobh goal. Cobh responded well and Nathan O’Connell pushed a shot narrowly wide while Ryan blocked a good strike from Griffin.

Cobh drew level on 27 minutes when a Mikey Foley corner was met by Kevin Foster-O’Kelly who headed firmly past Ryan.

It was Corinthians’ turn to find a response and Crowley produced a good save out of Power on the half-hour mark, and the Corinthians man did find the net six minutes later when O’Sullivan released his team-mate in space on the left and he lifted the ball over the advanced Power from just outside the penalty area for an excellent finish.

Griffin almost brought Cobh level again before half-time, but his right-footed shot on the right of the penalty area went narrowly wide at the far post, leaving it all square at the break.

Corinthians jumped further in front on 56 minutes when Eric Cunningham played a fine through ball to Crowley who in turn released Evan Browne through the middle and he finished well past Power.

Cobh reduced the lead three minutes later when Griffin got on the end of a long ball over the top and fired past Ryan.

O’Sullivan went close to restoring Corinthians’ two-goal lead when he rounded Power, but his effort from a very tight angle went across the goal.

A minute later a handball in the Corinthians penalty area resulted in a penalty which Griffin finished well to level the contest.

The drama continued and three minutes later Crowley completed his hat-trick with a cracking shot from 25 yards to restore Corinthians’ lead.

Once again Cobh responded and 10 minutes later Griffin completed his treble when he raced on to another long ball, getting there ahead of Ryan to knock it past the Corinthians’ keeper and into the net.

The tie appeared to be heading to extra-time until, deep into injury-time, Griffin broke into the penalty area again and was fouled by Ryan; once again the Cobh striker obliged from the spot to send his side into the next round.

LANDMARK

In a historic FAI Cup win for the club over the weekend, Wilton United beat FAI Intermediate Cup champions Glebe North 1-0 at Pat Bowdren Park.

A Cian McCarthy goal midway through the first half helped secure the win for the Cork side under manager Brendan O'Sullivan. It was a landmark victory for Wilton, upsetting the odds against the visitors.

Howver, Rockmount exited the competion when they went down 3-0 at Ballyfermot United.

Midleton recorded a 3-0 win at home to St Francis.

Manager Kevin Murray named a team without several of his regulars, but turned to his bench after a scoreless first half with Mattie O’Sullivan, Evan Bolster, James McCarthy, Jack O’Sullivan, and Jake Hegarty all being introduced during the second half.

It was still scoreless with 10 minutes remaining, but Luke Duggan-Murray broke the deadlock and from the penalty spot and late goals from Rhys Kelly-Noonan and Hegarty sealed the win.