As on the only previous occasion Monaghan United and Cork City met in the FAI Harp Lager Cup, veteran John Caulfield put paid to Monaghan's cup hopes at Gortakeegan yesterday.
In that previous victory, Caulfield scored just once to put Cork through. This time, through a blanket of thick fog that severely restricted visibility, he managed find the net with two opportunist strikes to end Monaghan's ambitions. Even though the Monaghan defence stuck to their task resolutely, there was no doubting the fairness of the result as Cork could have stretched their advantage with two other strikes, each of better construction but less fortunate outcome than the goals. First, Patsy Freyne launched a 25-yard volley that cannoned off the crossbar and then, just two minutes after the interval, Caulfield saw his well-timed header come back off the bar.
In the second half, Cork seemed content to cruise home and Eddie van Boxtel's severest test was from a speculative 30-yard free by Derek Coughlan. By that stage though Cork were eyeing the next round, Caulfield having put them ahead after 21 minutes when he headed home a sliced attempted clearance by a defender and then copper-fastening the win in the 33rd-minute when he was left unmarked at the far post and confidently slotted in a Molly Cahill cross.
United's occasional raids were comfortably dealt with by a sound City defence and Noel Mooney's toughest test came from a Karl Wilson free kick in the 78th minute.
Monaghan United: Van Boxtel; Hall, Best, Scully, Coady, Notaro, McEvoy, Browne, Wilson, Hanrahan, Butler. Sub: Brady for Browne (55 mins).
Cork City: Mooney; Daly, Cronin, O'Brien, Coughlan, Freyne, Cahill, Flanagan, Morley, Herrick, Caulfield. Sub: Dobbs for Caulfield (79 mins).
Referee: H Byrne (Dublin)
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