FAI Cup: Cork City 0, Finn Harps 0 Finn Harps succeeded in setting up a replay of this third round tie in Ballybofey next Saturday with a determined and disciplined defensive performance in Cork last night.
Harps approached the game with an emphasis heavily upon containment. They flooded midfield with players and paid particular attention to Cork's elusive left-winger Liam Kearney.
While the tactics did little to raise the level of entertainment for the 4,000 in attendance, their 'not-an-inch' defensive performance - in which goalkeeper Gavin Cullen had a starring role - ensured that Cork City were unable to translate their obvious superiority into goals.
Cork had the ball in the net in the 34th minute only to be whistled back for offside. The incident followed an excellent move that saw Kearney cross from the left for Roy O'Donovan and, when he headed the ball across goal, Neale Fenn was there to guide it into the net.
Harps never showed as an attacking force and they were let off the hook by the referee in the 45th minute when George O'Callaghan was muscled to the ground by Shane Bradley as he attempted to control the ball in the penalty area. To Cork's frustration, the referee waved aside their claims for a penalty.
Harps had to wait until the second half to force their first corner kick and they slowed the game at every opportunity.
Still, Cork had fleeting chances as O'Callaghan shot narrowly wide from 20 yards in the 24th minute, John O'Flynn was just over from from 25 yards and goalkeeper Cullen saved from O'Callaghan.
With Harps continuing to slow the game at every opportunity, the referee was finally moved to book Paddy McGranaghan for time-wasting.
However, Harps succeeded in their task - and their blanket defence ensured that Cork remained scoreless.
CORK CITY: Devine; Horgan, Coughlan, Murray, Murphy; O'Donovan (Gamble, 53 mins), O'Halloran, O'Callaghan, Kearney (Behan, 86 mins); Fenn, O'Flynn.
FINN HARPS: Cullen; McGowan, Boyle, Bradley, Asukha; Capper, Funston, Gorman, McGranaghan, Lauchlin (Breen, 69 mins); McHugh.
Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).
