Cork City, enjoyed a relaxing warm-up for the FAI Cup final with this straightforward victory at the Brandywell.

Derry City’s former midfielder Barry McNamee hammered the first nail into the Derry coffin before goalkeeper Ger Doherty punched the ball into his own net following a corner, the goals coming on either side of half-time.

For the Brandywell side, it’s been a frustrating season, having returned to their new-look home and, having now lost five games on the spin at that venue, the natives have become extremely restless.

Cork won this game with ease; they allowed Derry enjoy long spells of possession, but the home side failed miserably in the final third. In fact, when Cork broke the deadlock in the 14th minute, Kenny Shiels’ side were in trouble.

A classic counter-attack saw Garry Buckley pick up a loose ball just outside his penalty area and it was his forward burst which fashioned the goal.

Having avoided tackles on his penetrating run, Buckley neatly played the ball into the path of right winger McNamee, who coolly curled a low shot just inside the upright with his cultured left foot.

Now content to sit back and hit on the break, Cork seemed happy to concede possession, confident of keeping it tight at the back.

After 19 minutes Derry created their only clear-cut scoring chance of the first half when Nicky Low played Ben Fisk in. His shot screamed wide of the target when he really should have done better.

Derry huffed and puffed but experienced great difficulty in getting through Cork’s back-four protection of Gearoid Morrissey and Jimmy Keohane — and it got worse following the change of ends.

Cork won a corner three minutes in. Kieran Sadlier floated the ball into the six yards box where Ger Doherty was surrounded and, unfortunately for him, his attempted fisted clearance saw the ball divert into his own net.

To be fair, the home lot tried to gain respectability but Aaron McEneff’s powerful shot was saved by Cork keeper Peter Cherrie in the 56th minute.

Cork’s final substitute, Shane Daly-Butz, who came on for Buckley on 85 minutes, rounded off the evening two minutes later, the third goal coming from his first touch, a cross-cum-shot, which delighted his Leeside colleagues.

DERRY CITY:

Doherty; McDonagh, Cole, Toal, McHattie; McEneff (S McNamee, 82) Low (Shiels, h/t); Fisk (Delap, 75), Rory Hale, Roy; Ronan Hale

CORK CITY:

Cherrie; McCarthy Delaney, Barry, Hurley (Griffin, 62); Keohane, Morrissey; B. McNamee, Buckley (Daly-Butz, 85), Sadlier; Cummins (Murphy, 80).

Referee:

D. McGraith (Mayo).