FAI Ford Cup

Limerick 37  0 - 2  Cork City

Friday 6^th June 2008

Premier Division Cork City progressed to the next round of the Ford FAI Cup following a nervous win over battling Limerick at Jackman Park.

The game looked like a stalemate between the sides as Limerick gave as good as they got, but following a joke dive by Dave Mooney in the box, which should have seen him booked, referee P Sutton saw fit to give a penalty to Cork even though there was no appeal from any Cork player. The Limerick crowd left him in no doubt as to his mistake, which did not impress him as Limerick received decision after decision against them for the remainder of the game – MNS on RTÉ will be interesting. This second-half penalty from Dave Mooney and a late header from Darren Murphy put the gloss on a flattering margin of victory for the visitors.

The cup holders arrived at the Lower Careys Road venue favourites to do the double over Limerick this season following their 3-0 League Cup victory over Lims last month in Turners Cross. But it was the First Division side that almost drew first blood after Brendan Daly's third minute corner was clawed from under his own crossbar by City keeper Mick Devine and five minutes later Devine had to race swiftly off his line to clear from Chukwuma Manjor  following an excellent flick on from Wayne Colbert.

Manjor went close again in the 11th minute – beating the offside trap to latch unto a through ball from Darren Harrington only for Devine to save with his feet at the edge of the box.

Pat Sullivan then had to race across the area to clear from man of the match Wayne Colbert as Limerick continued to show absolutely no respect for their Premier Division guests.

Cork City, who repeatedly fell foul of the offside law in the opening quarter, had the ball in the net in the 24th minute via Joe Gamble, but Denis Behan was flagged offside.

Lims keeper Dave Ryan had to sprint off his line to clear from Dave Mooney following a threaded pass from Darren Murphy, who was booked for reacting to a Colbert challenge minutes later.

Gamble and Cillian Lordan both went close against the run of play on the stroke of half time, but Limerick held firm to earn a deserved ovation from the home support at the break.

City edged ahead in the 56th minute when Brian Clearly was disgracefully adjudged to have taken down Mooney inside the box – Mooney stepped up and slotted home the resulting penalty.

And Murphy more or less put the matter beyond dispute ten minutes from time, rising unchallenged to head home Danny Murphy's corner to advance the Leesiders into the 4th round.

The Limerick supporters were yet again a credit to the club singing solidly the entire game and until the ground had been emptied after it.

Limerick 37: Ryan, Daly, Cleary, White, Colbert (Quinlivan 82), Fogarty, Danaher, Ryan, McCarthy, Harrington (Cosgrave 75), Manjor

Cork City: Devine, Horgan, Sullivan, Murray, Murphy, Lordan (Meyler 87), Gamble, D Murphy, Kearney, Mooney (O'Connor 90), Behan.

Referee: P Sutton (Clare)