Cobh Ramblers 0 Dundalk 2
Dundalk are into the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup after coming out on top against Cobh Ramblers at St Colman’s Park.
During what was the first game in charge of Dundalk for Italian Filippo Giovagnoli, they in the end saw off a spirited Ramblers effort.
It was Cobh that had the first chance of note after seven minutes, when Ian Turner fired just over the bar.
The Lilywhites, who have had a strong recent FAI Cup pedigree, went close just past the quarter of an hour mark, when David McMillan forced a good save out of Cobh keeper Sean Barron, while Will Patching also was to test the home shot stopper.
After a spell of mounting pressure, Dundalk went into the lead just past the half hour mark. Michael Duffy played a neat through ball into the path of Dane Massey, who blasted a rocket of a shot into the back of the net from inside the penalty area.
Cobh almost had the perfect response, when Charlie Lyons saw his headed effort saved by Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers, with Ben O’Riordan also threatening from another corner kick.
Dundalk were the better team in the second-half and pushed for a second goal. The away side were awarded a penalty kick with 15 minutes to go, when Kelly was adjudged to have been taken down in the box.
McMillan made no mistake from the penalty spot, slotting the kick confidently into the bottom corner of the net.
Cobh Ramblers: Barron; Kavanagh, O'Riordan, Lyons, Walsh(O'Leary56): Hurley, Coughlan(Henry, 56); Turner(Coleman 85), Devitt, Drinan(Murphy 85); Crowley(Harlson 63).
Dundalk: Rogers; Hoare, Gartland, Boyle, Massey, Shields, Murray(Kelly 67), Colovic(Mountney 67), Patching(Flores 54), Duffy(Gannon 78) , McMillan.
Referee: A Patchell
