EA Sports Cup Report: Cork City 1 - 2 Derry City (AET)

Dean Jarvis’s extra time winner sent Derry City through to the EA Sports Cup semi-final in a hotly-contested game at Turner’s Cross on Monday night.

It was Cork City’s fifth home game in two weeks but the promise of making it five wins from five was denied them by a committed Derry side that ultimately deserved their victory.

Tremors of uncertainty rippled through the home side in the opening minutes who were operating a back line of unusual make-up.

Conor McCarthy made a rare appearance at right back while Michael McSweeney and John Dunleavy made up the central pairing and it was Derry City who made the first genuine attempt on goal, Keith Ward lifting a shot just over the crossbar on six minutes.

Three minutes later it was the home side who opened the scoring when Mark O’Sullivan drilled in a low shot from just outside the box. Conor McCormack conceded a free in a central position which Ian Turner touched to his right, O’Sullivan doing the rest with ruthless efficiency.

Cork steadied somewhat thereafter but would suffer a number of relapses when put under pressure as the half progressed. Few real openings were created but Cork’s lone striker O’Sullivan established an entertaining dual with Ryan McBride as both began to realise that referee Sean Grant was taking a generous view of hearty physical combat.

It was McBride who stymied Cork’s next moment of danger on 22 minutes when his saving tackle denied O’Sullivan a shot on goal after McCormack had been robbed of possession despite having plenty of time to get a pass away.

The next incident of note saw a fan in the Shed End draw warm applause from the crowd for a fine catch off McBride’s thunderous but wayward drive as we passed the halfway point of the opening period.

John Caulfield’s side were passing the ball around nicely at this point with Colin Healy looking imperious in midfield and Kevin O’Connor having a fine game at left back. But there still concerns when Derry applied pressure. Keith Ward was lively on the ball and Barry McNamee was energetic in his efforts to find a way through the home cover.

O’Sullivan botched an opportunity for Cork on 35 minutes when Aaron Barry unexpectedly misjudged a ball over the top by Gavan Holohan. Perhaps as surprised as the rest of us at Barry’s error, he took a heavy touch and the opening disappeared. Four minutes later Derry were level.

McNamee took a pass some 20 yards from goal on the right hand side of the pitch and given way too much room by the Cork rearguard he thumped a daisy-cutter across Alan Smith in the Cork goal and into the far corner.

After the restart the tempo increased. O’Sullivan and McBride continued their personal contest with the former being booked for perhaps their least physical encounter of the game. Conor McCormack piled Danny Morrissey into the business end of the home dugout without penalty before Healy entered the book for a late challenge on Dean Jarvis.

Aside from all this Derry sensed their opponent’s defensive discomfort and created considerable panic in the vicinity of Cork’s goalmouth while the Leesiders committed themselves to creating through balls for O’Sullivan. Derry looked the more likely to make their efforts count.

On 65 minutes O’Connor made a terrific run down the left and then found O’Sullivan who worked hard to create space before releasing Turner on the right. But the latter’s touch was poor and the ball raced away from him, bringing an unfortunate end to a promising move.

Three minutes later Cork combined more effectively when O’Sullivan hooked a superb pass on to Danny Morrissey and his sweetly hit volley brought an excellent diving save out of Ger Doherty.

The home side were getting the offensive mojo together and Morrissey again came close on 74 minutes when he found space on the edge of the box and curled a shot inches wide of Doherty’s right-hand post with the Derry keeper seemingly beaten.

The pendulum was swinging towards the home team but as we inched towards the end of ninety minutes Derry almost snatched a late winner when impressively swift build up play led to a venomous strike from McCormack, his shot whistling narrowly over the Cork crossbar.

Three minutes of added time failed to produce a decisive strike and the third quarter-final of the day went to extra-time.

Derry started the added half hour as they finished regular time and substitute Nathan Boyle turned and volleyed into the side netting after a raid down the left, and Smith in the Cork goal had to be alert on several occasions as the Candystripes seized the baton.

On 95 minutes Kenny Shiels’ side made a crucial breakthrough, and deservedly so. Keith Ward crossed from the left and Boyle stretched to volley the ball back across goal. Jarvis was waiting, unattended, to nudge an awkward header into the net despite the valiant effort of Smith to keep it out.

Sean Maguire was immediately loosed from the Cork bench, replacing Holohan, while Greg Bolger was also introduced in place of Conor McCarthy. With 22 minutes left Cork were now restored to a more familiar shape, Dunleavy reverting to right back, Bolger looking to pull the midfield strings and Maguire exerting his considerable influence in attack.

Despite a furious response from Cork, Derry almost grabbed a third on the lip of the extra time interval when Patterson broke through and powered a shot goalwards, only to see Smith pull off an important save.

As we waited for the final 15 minutes to begin it was announced that Leicester City had won the English Premier League, which raised a hearty cheer, but there was more important business at hand.

The final period began with admirable intensity from both teams but as time ticked away the desperation of Cork’s situation ate away at the composure needed to accomplish the task. Derry, on the other hand, began to see the merits of playing down the clock.

Derry’s victory seemed assured several minutes before Sean Grant’s final whistle and their long journey was ultimately rewarded with a semi-final berth.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy (Greg Bolger 98), Michael McSweeney, John Dunleavy, Kevin O’Connor; Ian Turner (Garry Buckley 73), Gavan Holohan (Sean Maguire 98), Danny Morrissey, Colin Healy, Stephen Dooley; Mark O’Sullivan.

Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Chiedozie Ogbene, Craig Donnellan, Cian Coleman

Booked: O’Sullivan (52).

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Niclas Vemmelund, Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry, Dean Jarvis; Keith Ward (Josh Daniels 126), Conor McCormack, Barry McNamee, Aaron McEneff, Ronan Curtis (Nathan Boyle 78); Rory Patterson.

Subs not used: Shaun Patton (gk), Jordan Allan, Patrick McClean, Conor McDermott, Ryan Doherty.

Booked: Vemmelund (37), McEneff (41), Patterson (73), Jarvis (90+3), Doherty (128).

Referee: Sean Grant.

Attendance: 901.

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Barry McNamee (Derry City).