FAI Cup semi-final
Bray Wanderers 0
Cork City 1
It's 1987 since first played second in a FAI Cup final and back then Dundalk lost out badly to Shamrock Rovers on both fronts. After seeing off a spirited Bray side at the Carlisle Grounds thanks to a solitary Danny Morrissey goal, Cork City's task now on November 8th is to avoid being on the receiving end again when Stephen Kenny's men look to complete their double.
City had the better of what was a poor enough semi-final without ever really looking all that impressive but they held on well as Wanderers chased things late on and Mark McNulty’s marvellous 88th minute save from Emeke Onwubike should really be considered as much a match winner as Morrisey’s strike on the hour.
Still, John Caulfield’s men will, one suspects, have to find at least one higher gear at the Aviva Stadium if they are to stop Dundalk in their tracks.
“I knew coming here it would take a huge effort,” said Caulfield afterwards, “but I felt over the game we were the better side and had chances we didn’t take. But, to be fair, Mark made a great save near the end.
‘Super team’
“It’s great for us, though. We’ve never played in the new Aviva and I suppose it’s the final everyone wants. Dundalk are a super team and, from our point of view, I suppose it’s a question of whether we can go that bit further and give them a game on the day . . . I believe we can.
“People will think of the league decider last year and it looks like it could be a phenomenal crowd like that day. But from our point of view, it was really about getting ourselves to a final. It’s incredible, we’re 31 years in existence and we’ve won the cup twice. I said to the lads before the game, look at Shamrock Rovers, it’s ’87 since they won the cup. Look at Pat’s last year, 60 years. A lot of top teams don’t win the cup that easily.
“Even in my own career it took me 12 seasons, so for us to have the opportunity to go to the Aviva is massive.”
For Caulfield, the win comes in the week that he signed a new two-year-deal at the club and underlines, he feels, the progress that City have continued to make this season. “
From my point of view,” he says, “it was about staying near the top, getting into Europe, challenging for trophies. We’ve qualified for Europe last year, we’re in Europe this year, we’re in a cup final. We’ve got a chance of one of the three trophies that is on offer. From that point of view, it’s fantastic.
“Does it matter about Dundalk? No, it doesn’t matter. They’re a fantastic team, a phenomenal team, they’ve pushed the bar higher this year; they have a great manager. At the same time, we’re probably the one team they may not want in a final.”
BRAY WANDERERS: Cherrie; Douglas, McNally, Cooney, Barker; Fitzpatrick (Scully,75 mins); Hanlon (Onwukiko, 80 mins), Kelly, McEvoy, Wixted (McGlynn, 66 mins); Lyons.
CORK CITY: McNulty; Dunleavy, Bennett, D Dennehy, Gaynor; Miller (Holohan, 82 mins), Murray; B Dennehy (O'Connor, 75 mins), Buckley, Sheppard; Morrissey.(O'Flynn, 60 mins),
Referee: N Doyle (Dublin).
