Karl Sheppard hit a brace to ease holders Cork City into the semi-finals of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup as they simply had too much for First Division Longford Town at City Calling Stadium.
Kieran Sadlier and Jimmy Keohane also found the net for Cork before Robbie Williams put through his own goal as the result matched that of last season’s third round meeting between the sides at the same venue.
A tame enough start to the game brought Cork, who made four changes to the side beaten 3-1 at Shamrock Rovers in the league last week, the first opening on eight minutes when defender Ryan Delaney glanced his header well wide from Shane Griffin's corner.
Though Longford were compact with a good shape to them, Cork showed patience to get their passing game going. And the chances soon started to come.
Gearoid Morrissey carved an opening 16 minutes in when he turned well and let fly from distance, but his low effort was wide.
Three minutes later, Town’s Noel Haverty and goalkeeper Jack Brady got their wires crossed as the defender tried to shepherd the ball back, forcing Brady to clear with his feet from Sadlier.
Stephen Dooley curled a shot wide before Cork’s pressure gradually told with their lead goal on 24 minutes.
Brady first went full stretch to tip a stinging drive from the lively Keohane round post for a corner.
Sadlier took it and it flew right across to directly enter the net at the far post.
Town fell further behind four minutes later as they were carved open a little too easily.
Shane Griffin's cross from the left wasn't cut out and Keohane had plenty of time to pick his spot and find the corner of the need with the help of a slight deflection.
It should really have been 3-0 on 34 minutes, but Dooley contrived to scuff his shot wide with the goal gaping.
But Cork didn’t have much longer to wait to all but end the game as a contest as they did get a third goal a minute before the break.
Brady slipped as he came out to claim City skipper Greg Bolger's ball over the top and ended up taking down the in-rushing Sheppard to concede a penalty.
🎥 Brilliant support again tonight #CCFC84 pic.twitter.com/IbcHjqbAY2
— Cork City FC (@CorkCityFC) September 9, 2017
Sheppard duly stepped up and sent Brady the wrong way from the spot. Cork stretched their lead six minutes into the second half.
Substitute Connor Ellis put a sublime ball over the top for the run of Sheppard who showed good composure to rifle to the net.
Ellis showed clever skill to orchestrate an opening on the hour mark, his drive bringing a fine diving save from Brady.
A calamitous own goal then gifted Longford a lifeline on 62 minutes.
Cork’s Ryan Delaney initially lost the ball near the halfway line. His central defensive partner Williams then sliced Peter Hopkins’ cross over his own keeper Mark McNulty to the net.
Williams made amends minutes later, somehow clearing a shot from Davy O’Sullivan over the bar.
Longford Town: Jack Brady; Aidan Friel, Noel Haverty, Daniel O’Reilly, Tristan Noack-Hofmann; Kealan Dillon (Don Cowan h-t), Dean Zambra, Sam Verdon; Peter Hopkins (Karl Chambers 75), Davy O’Sullivan, Alan Kehoe (Kaleem Simon 60).
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy, Robbie Williams, Ryan Delaney, Shane Griffin; Greg Bolger, Gearoid Morrissey; Stephen Dooley (Connor Ellis h-t), Jimmy Keohane, Kieran Sadlier (Achille Campion 75); Karl Sheppard.
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).
