Derry City easily see off Cork City

Derry City cruised into the Extra.ie FAI Cup quarter-final following a comfortable victory over ten men Cork City,

Goals from midfield duo Will Patching and Sadou Diallo sealed the deserved win for the Candystripes, who not for the first time, missed a host of chances to win by a bigger margin.

For Colin Healy's men, they were second best for long periods at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium especially after striker Ruairi Keating was harshly shown a straight red card early in the second half.

City started with the same side which drew at Drogheda United last week, but it was visitors who had the first chance on four minutes but Keating's strike from the left hand angle was kept out by a diving Brian Maher.

After that early strike, it was the home side who had a couple of quick fire efforts at goal, but on both occasions Patrick McEleney's long range strike's failed to trouble keeper James Corcoran.

On 11 minutes a clever ball over the top by McEleney found Ryan Graydon inside the box and the ex-Longford Town man was barged to the ground by Corcoran and referee Gavin Colfer rightfully pointed to the spot and Patching, who had missed his previous penalty a few weeks ago, made no mistake this time, blasting high into the top left hand corner.

The woodwork came to Cork's rescue on 25 minutes as Michael Duffy's lovely curling effort, which had Corcoran beaten, crashed off the right hand post.

More good play by Derry down the left ended with Duffy's cut-back finding McEleney, but his goal-bound strike from 12 yards, was blocked by Cork defender Kevin O'Connor.

Cork were reduced to ten men on 50 minutes after Keating was shown a straight red card by referee Colfer, after he seemed to stamp on Derry centre-back Mark Connolly.

Moments later Derry should have netted a second as Cameron Dummigan's right wing cross found McEleney, but the skipper's close range header was straight Corcoran, who gathered well.

Derry deservedly netted a second on 73 minutes as their pressure finally paid off as midfielder Diallo, made no mistake from the edge of the box, drilling home into Corcoran's bottom right hand corner.

In stoppage time, Derry substitute Jamie McGonigle went close to scoring, but his shot on the turn from 12 yards was blocked by a diving Cian Coleman, who deflected the effort away for a corner.

Right at the death Diallo was inches away from scoring his second, but his pile driver from 25 yards, which had Corcoran scrambling, hit the side netting.

Derry City: Brian Maher, Cameron Dummigan (Ronan Boyce 78), Mark Connolly, Cameron McJannet, Ciaran Coll; Sadou Diallo, Patrick McEleney (Joe Thomson 78), Will Patching (Declan Glass 61); Ryan Graydon (Brandon Kavanagh 69), James Akintunde (Jamie McGonigle 69), Michael Duffy.

Cork City: James Corcoran, Cian Coleman, Dylan McGlade (Uniss Kargbo 59), Aaron Bolger, Ruairi Keating, Barry Coffey (Mark O'Mahony 74), Cian Bargary (James Doona 59), Kevin O'Connor, Joshua Honohan, Matthew Srbely (Darragh Crowley 59), Gordan Walker (Louis Britton 74).

Referee: Gavin Colfer.