Cork City score late to beat Waterford and advance to FAI Cup quarter-final
Cork CIty’s Matthew Murray celebrates scoring the first goal of the game in front of the Waterford fans during their Sports Direct FAI Cup Third Round clash at Turner's Cross. Picture: ©INPHO/James Lawlor
Cork City edged out Waterford FC to win a brilliant Munster derby at Turner’s Cross in the FAI Cup third round on Friday evening.
It was well matched from start to finish, with both teams having a plethora of second-half chances. In the end it was City who edged it to get their third win in seven, and book a place in the FAI Cup quarter-finals.
After Tommy Lonergan had come dangerously close from a free-kick in the 75th minute, substitute Kaedyn Kamara emerged as the hero, scoring the winner in the 80th minute.
Matthew Murray’s last involvement had been to win a free on the endline. Evan McLaughlin crossed it in and Kamara was there to head home. He headed for the Shed End to join the fans in jubilation.
It was Murray, Josh Fitzpatrick and Kitt Nelson who had been unrelenting all evening for City, driving at Waterford any chance they could. Fitzpatrick almost doubled their lead in the 87th minute, after Nelson sent him through, but Stephen McMullan got down to make yet another big save.
The hosts held on throughout the six minutes of added time, defending well, even if it had the touch of desperation from their previous two games.
The first half had been evenly matched, albeit with fewer chances for both teams. City had managed to get in front with less than two minutes elapsed, after McLaughlin’s beautifully weighted cross in from the left found Murray, filling in for the absent Alex Nolan, and he poked home at the far post.
City continued to play with pace, slick in their passing and movement, but struggling to find the final ball for much of that first half.
City netminder Conor Brann was first tested in the 20th minute when Conan Noonan set up Ryan Burke, who caught his volley cleanly on the edge of the box, forcing Brann to tip it over.
Two minutes on from that chance Waterford had their equaliser, Kyle White’s cross in was headed down at the far post by captain Padraig Amond, and Tommy Lonergan was there to fire into the net from point blank range.
City were very much in control for the rest of the half, as Murray turned Grant Horton over and sent Fitzpatrick through on the left. Fitzpatrick cut in to shoot from his right, but Rowan McDonald was there to make an important block.
City continued to test their Munster rivals, Kitt Nelson teeing up McLaughlin for a decent effort, but McMullan saved comfortably.
Fitzpatrick had a couple more opportunities but couldn’t get the hosts back in front, winning a corner in the 37th minute after Darragh Crowley picked him out, before a minute later, forcing McMullan into a big save with an effort from distance.
After Crowley’s headed effort forced another good save from McMullan in the 47th minute, Waterford regained momentum minutes later, and were unfortunate not to go in front.
Noonan picked out an unmarked White with an incredible cross-field switch. White slipped past Brann and tried to poke it into the open net, but Freddie Anderson got back just in time to clear the danger.
The end-to-end action didn’t stop there. Amond worked it to Noonan to force a big save from Brann in the 59th minute, while Fitzpatrick skied his shot at the other end 60 seconds later.
Centre-backs from both teams were called into action immediately after, Mansfield dispossessing Seani Maguire just before he got a shot away, while Rory Feely made an excellent block on Amond in the next passage of play.
Nelson tested the waters from just outside the box in the 65th minute, and while his effort was tame, the hosts had another chance a mere minute later as McLaughlin sent Murray through, but he couldn’t keep it on target.
Kaedyn Kamara set up Fitzpatrick for another long distance effort, reminiscent of his goal against Galway a few weeks ago, but again, it was another wide for City.
But Kamara would come good at the death to secure a huge win for the Rebel Army.
Brann; Kiernan, Anderson, Feely, Nevin (Kamara 59); McLaughlin (S Murray 82), Crowley; Fitzpatrick, M Murray (Lutz 79), Nelson; S Maguire (c).
McMullan; Burke, Mansfield (Faal 82), McDonald; White, Rossiter (Glenfield 85), Noonan (Coyle 73), Olayinka (McMenamy 85), Horton (Miles 73); Lonergan, Amond (c).
R Hennessy (Limerick)
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