EA SPORTS Cup 2nd Round
WATERFORD FC 1
COURTNEY DUFFUS ‘100
CORK CITY 1
JOSH O’HANLON ‘112
AET – WATERFORD FC WIN 5-3 ON PENALTIES
Waterford FC have booked their place in the quarterfinals of the EA SPORTS Cup after a thrilling penalty shootout win over Cork City in their clash played in front of 849 supporters at the RSC on Monday night last.
The home side had the better of the early possession, but it was Cork City who had the best early chances. Winger Kieran Sadlier drove at the Waterford defence from the left on 13 minutes but his powerful drive was saved by Waterford keeper Niall Corbet.
And it was Sadlier who had another great chance five minutes later; Michael Howard with the cross from the right wing found the unmarked Sadlier, but he blazed over with the retreating Blues defender Dylan Barnett putting him under pressure.
Waterford began to create more as the half wore on but City were restricting them to long-range efforts; Gavan Holohan, Bastien Hery and Dean Walsh all unable to find a way to the back of the net.
And it was the latter who should have given Waterford the half-time lead in first half injury time when Dean O’Halloran flicked on to Walsh but he fired straight at Cherrie from inside the City penalty area.
It was Puri that had another chance to give the home side the lead on 77 minutes when he raced to the near post to meet a Derek Daly cross but his effort was kept out by Peter Cherrie for a corner kick that cleared by the visitors.
Izzy Akinade slipped the ball into the feet of Sander Puri on 88 minutes but after bursting into the penalty area, he shot straight at Cork City keeper Peter Cherrie from 14 yards as the game finished in goalless stalemate at the end of 90 minutes.
Dylan Barnett forced Cherrie into a smart save six minutes into the first period of extra time after some good player from Puri and Courtney Duffus before the latter brought a top save out of the visiting netminder on 98 minutes as he dived full length to tip the ball out for a corner kick.
Waterford got the goal that their dominance deserved on 100 minutes when Akinade did superbly well down the left channel before crossing to the back post where Courtney Duffus was on hand to hammer past Peter Cherrie from deep inside the area.
Danny Kane could have equalised from a free volley with the final action of the first half when he got on the end of a Kieran Sadlier delivery but he couldn’t hit the target from close range. Cork City did level on 112 minutes when Josh O’Hanlon headed home a Sadlier free kick.
Courtney Duffus, Gavan Holohan, Derek Daly, Rory Feely and Izzy Akinade netted for Waterford in the shootout while Sean McLoughlin, Barry McNamee and Jimmy Keohane netting for Cork with Graham Cummins having his effort saved by Niall Corbet the difference at the end of the shootout.
WATERFORD FC: Niall Corbet, Dylan Barnett, Rory Feely, Garry Comerford, Derek Daly; Gavan Holohan, Sander Puri, Bastien Héry, Dean O’Halloran, Faysel Kasmi (John Martin ’63) Dean Walsh
CORK CITY: Peter Cherrie, Danny Kane, Aaron Barry, Jimmy Keohane, Kieran Sadlier, Toni Adebayo Rowling, Michael Howard (Graham Cummins ‘106), Josh O’Hanlon, Ronan Hurley (Sean McLoughlin ’28), Rory Doyle (Barry McNamee ’71), Garry Buckley
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford)