Cork City 1-1 Linfield (Cork win 2-1 on aggregate)
Cork City endured a nervous finish at Turner's Cross before progressing to the second qualifying round of the Europa League courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Linfield.
Ahead in the tie going into the game thanks to last week's win in Belfast, City looked like a team intent on going through in style initially, with a trip to Sweden next week to play BK Hacken the reward.
However, after they failed to capitalise on a number of early chances, their opponents came back into the contest
Sean Maguire broke the deadlock with a penalty shortly into the second half before Linfield replied through a Mark Stafford header four minutes later.
David Healy's men probed for a second - a strike which would put them through on away goals - but Cork survived a couple of scares to see out the tie.
City boss John Caulfield made two changes from the side that claimed the vital away win last time as Michael McSweeney came in for Karl Sheppard and Gavan Holohan replaced the injured Greg Bolger in the centre of the park.
Following a minute's applause for the Linfield supporter that sadly passed away during last week's game in Belfast, the home side got the game underway.
An early free kick from Stephen Dooley swung just beyond the head of Kenny Browne on six minutes but if the crowd of 3,521 thought the League of Ireland outfit would have everything their own way, Linfield gave a quick response.
Andrew Waterworth broke away down the left and Kevin O'Connor needed to be alive to clear the subsequent ball inside away from danger.
Caulfield's men almost created the ideal response a minute later. Stephen Dooley broke clear following a Linfield corner and weaved his way through to feed Steven Beattie with a lovely ball. Roy Carroll saved the winger's shot though, before Jamie Mulgrew blocked Dooley's follow-up effort.
A minute later Dooley cracked a separate long-range effort into the side netting as City tried to increase the tempo once again.
Maguire had one further chance to break the deadlock before the break. A quick setpiece from Dooley allowed Maguire to fire on goal but his effort was blocked by a resolute Linfield defence.
The second half was minutes only when the Leesiders went ahead. An O'Connor corner made it as far as Bennett who failed to direct his effort on target. The ball fell to Maguire and he turned his marker with a neat twist and when Matthew Clarke pushed the striker on his back, referee Bartosz Frankowski pointed to the spot.
Maguire, who scored the penalty that split the teams in the first leg, planted the ball to his left and though Carroll got a hand to it, there was enough power to see it hit the back of the net with 49 minutes on the clock.
Cork celebrations did not last long, however. A free-kick at the other end four minutes later saw Healy's troops back on level terms. Former City boy Ross Gaynor swung a fine set piece into the area and Stafford wiggled free at the back post to head beyond Mark McNulty.
Maguire forced a superb, fingertip save from Carroll with an effort from just outside the area on 67 minutes as Cork looked for a winner on the night, while Gearóid Morrissey's long-range effort was always rising into the stand.
Carroll then produced good saves from O'Sullivan and Morrissey as Cork looked to see out the 90 minutes, and although they had to endure a nervy five minutes of added time, Linfield failed to force the vital breakthrough.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney (Mark O'Sullivan '56), Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O'Connor; Steven Beattie, Gearóid Morrissey, Garry Buckley (Colin Healy '65), Gavan Holohan (Danny Morrissey '57), Stephen Dooley; Sean Maguire.
Linfield FC: Roy Carroll; Matthew Clarke (Michael McLellan '89), Mark Stafford, Mark Haughey, Niall Quinn; Kirk Millar (Aaron Burns '78), Stephen Lowry, Jamie Mulgrew, Ross Gaynor; Andrew Waterworth, Paul Smyth.
Referee: Bartosz Frankowski (Poland)
