Cork City stun favourites St Pat's with sensational win to book FAI Cup final
Cork City's Evan McLaughlin celebrates scoring his side’s third goal of the game during the Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup semi-final match between Cork City and St Patrick's Athletic at Turner’s Cross. Picture: ©Inpho/Ryan Byrne
The wind from Storm Amy had eased off by the start in Turner’s Cross, just in time for the beginning of Storm City.
Bottom of the league, mired in a season of misery and despair, they summoned something extraordinary to topple St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday in the FAI Cup semi-final and claim a ticket to the Aviva.
Dismissed as no-hopers, every Cork City player was exceptional when it mattered, the roar from the Shed End carrying them through. From the bleakest of years has come the brightest of nights – a semi-final shock that gives City one more chapter in Dublin.
City’s 1-0 lead at the break, courtesy of some Seani Maguire magic, was neither comfortable, nor under real pressure.
Even with all the possession, frustration started to creep in for Pat’s. Wasteful efforts from distance highlighted it, City’s shape and press keeping them at bay for large parts of the second half.
And while the hosts had dropped off up front, a near miss from Maguire sparked City back into life.
Immediately, they were on the attack again. Darragh Crowley slipped one through to Evan McLaughlin. He thundered it home at Joseph Anang’s near post, setting Turner’s Cross ablaze.
The 5,408 in attendance – City’s highest of the season – didn’t even have time to sit back down when McLaughlin had packaged, sealed and signed the Aviva fairytale.
Maguire with a brilliant run and pass through to McLaughlin. It took a lucky touch off Redmond, but McLaughlin got it back, lined it up, and found the bottom corner from just outside the box to leave the Cross as stunned as they were elated.
Jamie Lennon had an effort go over the bar for Pat’s shortly after, but the Shed End party was not to be interrupted. The song and dance continued long into the closing stages, and fans streamed onto the pitch to celebrate at full-time.
A stark contrast from the start, where the protest came right on cue. Toilet rolls and tennis balls rained in from the Shed End, a banner demanding “End Kildare rule in Cork, Usher out” was raised, and kickoff held back by three minutes.
When the game did start, it moved at the same breakneck pace as the stands. Kitt Nelson had a shot blocked inside two minutes, and from there City were fizzing.
Josh Fitzpatrick – who was tireless throughout – robbed Joseph Redmond and sparked a move that ran through Kitt Nelson and McLaughlin before the wing-back swept it across goal himself. It seemed to have gone too far, only for Alex Nolan to force Anang into an early stop.
They weren’t made to wait long. On 10 minutes, Freddie Anderson floated a superb pass in behind, Seani Maguire ghosted onto it, and with a flick over Anang and a shimmy past Redmond, he rolled City in front. Grivosti’s desperate touch couldn’t keep it out – Maguire was already celebrating.
McLaughlin went close from distance soon after, but by the midway point of the half, City’s grip had loosened slightly.
Kian Leavy and Jason McClelland both tried their luck from range, the latter’s effort skimming a deflection for a corner. Mason Melia then almost turned in Grivosti’s looping delivery but failed to get a clean touch.
Pat’s had a late free from McClelland that drifted dangerously wide, but City held firm, and by half-time they were worth every inch of that 1-0 lead.
On the resumption, it was Pat’s on the charge again, City defending well, Anderson and Charlie Lyons making key interceptions, with Rory Feely’s cool head between them.
The hosts had one big chance in the third quarter, Anderson doing well to keep the ball in and picked out Nolan from range, whose touch was sublime. He raced in from the wing but carried it a touch too far. Nelson recovered, but under pressure his shot lacked any punch to test Anang in the 56th minute.
City would be kept quiet in the final third from then, until McLaughlin got the Cross roaring again with a brace in three minutes. For a club staring into the abyss, the Aviva now beckons – a reward that seemed unthinkable a week ago.
Brann; Anderson, Lyons (Kelleher 78), Feely; Crowley, Bolger, McLaughlin (S Murray 73), Fitzpatrick; Nolan (Kamara 78), Maguire (c) (Lee 86), Nelson (Kiernan 78).
Anang; McLaughlin (Carty 66), Grivosti, Redmond (c), McClelland (Kavanagh 77); Forrester, Lennon (Kazeem 77); Power, Leavy, Garrick (Mulraney HT); Melia.
R Harvey (Dublin)
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