Cork City 1 Dundalk 0 (after extra time)
A game of four halves this, three of which were enthralling. Thrilling too, at the end if you were a Cork City fan with Seán Maguire grabbing the goal that decided it as the match moved into added time at the end of extra time. FAI Cup finals rarely seemed to be lightly decided these days but this really was as hard fought as they come.
Inevitably, Dundalk will wonder quite how their double double got away from them for they had chances to win it themselves over the course of the 120 minutes. City, though, hung in there with the determination of a side that simply couldn’t bear the prospect of heading home to their people empty handed once again.
At times, that meant having to scrape by under pressure but at others they threw everything they had into winning it. And as their opponents did the same it all became a rather epic struggle that was going to take a mistake, some luck or penalties to decide.
Ultimately, it was combination of the first two with Brian Gartland, heroic all afternoon, first playing his side into trouble with a sliced clearance that yielded a Cork throw; then helplessly deflecting Maguire's shot on the turn past Gary Rogers. As the City players celebrated in front of their own fans, the comeback kings had the look of men who knew that this time, it was all over.
It was a remarkable end to a compelling contest that had taken quite a while to really hit its stride.
Kenny had recently suggested Dundalk were superb on the counter attack and John Caulfield certainly seemed to be taking no chances early on, with his side surrendering possession and territory on the basis, it seemed, that with everyone bar Maguire withdrawn deep into their own territory they could smother just about anything the league champions threw at them.
It worked for the most part with Kenny's men managing just one shot on target before the first break when Gearóid Morrissey was dispossessed by Ronan Finn. He fed Horgan, whose angled through ball was perfect for David McMillan and Cork City goalkeeper Mark McNulty did well to prevent the striker's low drive sneaking into the far corner.
Somewhat inevitably, though, City struggled to pose any meaningful threat at the other with Maguire looking just as isolated as he had in Oriel Park a few weeks ago. Once again, he spent much of his time through the opening stages trying to take and hold possession under severe pressure from Gartland. When he was finally given something a little more promising to work with late in the half, he made little of the opportunity, heading well wide on the first occasion, and following a nice first touch with an unwanted second that pushed him far too wide on the second.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, it seemed as though City had perhaps been allowing their opponents to blow themselves out, rope-a-dope style, with Caulfield’s men taking control thanks to a far more adventurous outlook but it didn’t last.
Dundalk steadied themselves and the game, more open than ever, became a battle between two tiring fighters swinging at other while leaving themselves increasingly open. They took in turns to dominate as, one after the other, they somehow discovered, at the end this long, hard season new reserves of energy. And though there were chances at both ends, Dundalk will look back at those Ciarán Kilduff and the superb Finn passed up late on as key moments of the afternoon.
It was, for all of the many mistakes made, highly entertaining stuff and though Dundalk had hoped a win would mark a little bit more history for them; it would be hard to begrudge this City side some reward for a season in which they have run great champions almost all the way.
CORK CITY: McNulty; Beattie, Bennett, Browne, O'Connor; Bolger (O'Sullivan, 96 mins), G Morrissey (Healy, 100 mins); Sheppard (Ogbene, 78 mins) Buckley, Dooley; Maguire.
DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; O'Donnell, Shields (Mountney, 55 mins); McEleney (Shiels, 76 mins), Finn, Horgan; McMillan (Kilduff, 79 mins).
Referee: R Rogers (Dublin).
