Cork City book trip to Sweden after holding Linfield at packed Turner's Cross
Cork City 1 Linfield 1 (Cork win 2-1 on aggregate)
Cork City are off to Sweden next week after they drew 1-1 with Belfast’s Linfield before a heaving Turner’s Cross tonight, .
Once again Sean Maguire gave City the lead from a 48th-minute penalty, but four minutes later it was 1-1 when Mark Stafford’s back post header from Ross Gaynor’s free kick levelled this Europa League First Qualifying Round second leg clash.
A crowd of over 3,500 watched this south versus north Europa League qualifier and Cork will now play BK Hacken of Gothenburg in the second qualifying round tie next Thursday with the return leg back at Turner’s Cross on Thursday, July 21.
The European dream continues for @CorkCityFC 1 all on the night 2 -1 over 2two legs pic.twitter.com/h3wGUj3sj9
— Cork's 96FM (@Corks96FM) July 7, 2016
City made two changes for this decisive second leg with Gavan Holohan and Michael McSweeney coming in for the injured skipper Greg Bolger with Karl Sheppard dropped to the bench.
Alan Bennett who passed a late fitness test on a calf strain captained the team as City opted for their usual 4-2-3-1 formation against a Blues side that went 4-4-1-1 again – the same as the first leg at Windsor Park.
It was a special night for McSweeney at right full as he became the first UCC graduate to play in Europe.
Linfield made just the one change with Matthew Clarke coming in at right-back for Reece Glendinning and they kicked off a goal down on a superb playing surface and on a beautiful evening for football.
Cork dominated a first half where the Polish referee waved aside two penalty appeals, the first when ex-Cork City player Ross Gaynor dived in the box and was spoken to by the match official and then just before half-time Seanie Maguire went down under a challenge but again play was waved on.
City undoubtedly had the better of the first 45 minutes and the only real mystery was how they had not scored!
Roy Carroll denied Steven Beattie with his feet early on and Jamie Mulgrew got in a great block to deny Stephen Dooley’s follow up effort after 10 minutes.
Kevin O’Connor had a free changed down by Mark Stafford in the 20th minute before City lost some impetus as the interval loomed into view.
The first booking of the evening came on 40 minutes when Matthew Clarke was booked for a foul on Dooley.
Man of the match Roy Carroll in the Linfield goal made five wonder saves in the last quarter to deny Mark O’Sullivan twice, Danny Morrissey twice and Maguire.
McNulty; McSweeney, Bennett (capt), Browne, O’Connor; Buckley, Morrissey; Beattie, Holohan, Dooley; Maguire.
O’Sullivan for McSweeney & D. Morrissey for Holohan (both 56 mins), Healy for Buckley (65 mins), Sheppard, C. McCarthy, Turner & Coffey (not used)
Carroll; Clarke, Quinn, Haughey, Stafford; Gaynor, Lowry, Mulgrew, Millar; Smyth; Waterworth.
Burns for Millar (78 mins), McLellan for Clarke (89 mins) Kee, Murray, Glendinning, R. Clarke & Deane (not used)
Bartosz Frankowski (Poland)
3,521.
