Cork City's European dream ended in heartbreak when the FAI Cup champions went out of the European Cup Winners' Cup against the army-backed CSKA Kiev team in the Ukraine last night. Dave Barry's side took a 21 first leg lead into last night's second leg clash; but, at the end of the day, Kiev's injury time goal in Cork two weeks ago proved decisive. That goal scored by fullback Revut came three minutes into injury time at Turner's Cross; but proved to be the all-important strike last night.
Significantly, it was another full back and Kiev's "secret weapon" Valentyn Hrehul, who emerged as last night's man-of-the-match before a 5,000 strong local crowd that was made up almost entirely of Policemen and national service army cadets.
The uniformed-crowd were on their feet applauding the home side three minutes before half time when Eduard Tsykhmeistruk, the team's only full international, broke the deadlock with a fortunate goal. Overlapping full back Hrehul arrowed a cross to the far post and, after goalkeeper Noel Mooney looked to be impeded, the ball fell for Tsykhmeistruk at the far post. His initial shot was blocked down by Cork captain Declan Daly; but the ball fell invitingly for the same player to crack the rebound low past Mooney on the goal line.
The Ukrainian side, who just avoided relegation last season, effectively clinched the tie with a second goal 10 minutes into the second half. Again full back Hrehul was the instigator with another pinpoint cross to the far post, and this time the club's leading goalscorer Victor Leonenko had time to take the ball down on his chest before rifling it past the hapless Mooney.
Barry, who started with the same team as won the first leg in Cork, and with the same 4-5-1 formation, immediately rang the changes. He made a double substitution just after Kiev's 56th-minute second goal with new-signing Gerald Dobbs and Jason Kabia coming into the action for Brian Barry-Murphy and Noel Hartigan.
Dobbs made an immediate impact and might have had a penalty soon after coming onto the field; but Croatian referee, Zelko Siric, waved play on.
Cork continued to threaten as 17-year-old Greg O'Halloran tested goalkeeper Reva with a 40-yard drive, full back Gareth Cronin had a free kick just outside the box saved under the bar, and Ollie Cahill was also close to forcing a goal that would have taken the match into injury time.
CSKA Kiev: Riva, Hrehul, Revut, Ulianitskyi, Semehuk, Bezhenar, Koriaka, Shkapenko, Zakarliuka, Leonenko, Tsykhmeistruk. Subs: Koryenev for Koriaka (33 mins), Daraselia for Leonenko (64 mins).
Cork City: Mooney, Daly, Coughlan, Hill, Cronin, O'Halloran, Flanagan, Freyne, BarryMurphy, Cahill, Hartigan. Subs: Dobbs & Kabia for Barry-Murphy and Hartigan (both 57 mins), Caulfield for Flanagan (82 mins).
Referee: Z Suric (Croatia)
