Cork City’s well documented financial problems were given a major boost at the Brandywell on Tuesday night as the Leesiders defeated Derry City to set up a meeting with Glentoran in the 2008 Setanta Cup Final.
The hero of the night for Alan Mathews’ men was right winger Timmy Kiely, who headed powerfully home in the 67th minute to stun an out of sorts Derry City.
While the quality of the game was poor overall, with both sides effectively cancelling each other out, Kiely took advantage of his side’s one and only clear-cut chance to divert Dan Murray’s cross to the net.
Cork reaped sweet revenge for their FAI Cup defeat at the Foyleside venue two weeks ago, and they can now look forward to a home fixture in the Setanta final, which has been fixed for Saturday 1 November.
Derry can have no complaints at this defeat, as it was their failure to penetrate or create clear-cut scoring chances cost them in the end.
The attendance of 3,000 witnessed a very poor first half, with both teams restricted to long range efforts, all of which failed to hit the target.
Speculative shots from Derry’s Niall McGinn and Barry Molloy failed to trouble Mark McNulty, while Cork’s Danny Murphy and Joe Gamble both flashed efforts wide of the Derry goal.
Indeed, the home side may have enjoyed the lion’s share of the ball, but Derry found it difficult in what was a flooded final third of the park.
The first 15 minutes of the second half saw little change, with passes regularly going astray, and neither side managing to penetrate.
The Cork keeper flapped at 64th minute corner but Derry substitute Kevin McHugh failed to direct the ball on target from close range.
Cork silenced the Brandywell in the 67th minute when Kiely netted the vital winner as Derry forced players forward in search of an equaliser.
In the 77th minute, Derry’s Mark Farren raced onto a through ball, and while keeper McNulty appeared to impede the striker inside the area, referee David Malcolm waved play on, much to the disgust of the Brandywell faithful.
Derry’s last chance to force the game into extra time arrived six minutes from the end, when Barry Molloy was set up following a weaving run by Niall McGinn, but the midfielder’s low shot was easily gathered by McNulty at his near post.
Try as Derry did, Cork defended manfully with players throwing themselves in front of the ball as if their lives depended on it, before referee Malcolm sounded the final whistle.
Derry City: Doherty; McGlynn, Delaney, McCallion, McChrystal; McGinn, Molloy, Martyn (Higgins, 68), Dennehy (McHugh, h-t); Morrow, Farren.
Cork City: McNulty; Horgan, Murray, Sullivan, Danny Murphy; Kiely (Cambridge, 92), Gamble, Darren Murphy, Ryan; Kearney (O’Connor, 68), Dudfield.
Referee: David Malcolm (Belfast).
