Cork City advance in FAI Cup after 2-0 win over Treaty United

FAI Cup round 1 

Treaty United 0 Cork City 2 (Honohan 54, Owolabi 76) 

Cork City took Munster derby honours to progress to the FAI Cup second-round draw with a pair of second-half goals shaking off Treaty United.

The hosts, semi-finalists last year, smelled blood against their Premier Division opponents during a first half in which Josh Honohan and William Armshaw struck the woodwork at either end.

But Honohan broke their resistance and Tunde Owolabi did the rest to seal a morale-boosting first win in six for City.

There was a minute’s silence before this tie, which had been delayed on compassionate grounds after the tragic passing of Ciarán Keating, father of City striker Ruairí. There was also a precautionary morning-time pitch inspection although the forecast rain obliged by holding off until the second half.

City had the greater strength of numbers in midfield, with a first start for new signing Rokas Stanulevičius, and caused Treaty trouble by flooding players down the flanks. They had four corners inside 18 minutes with Honohan coming closest when heading Barry Coffey’s out-swinging delivery onto the post.

When Treaty got a foothold, they caused City real bother. A Dean George cross was sent spinning towards his own top corner by Cian Coleman only for Jimmy Corcoran retreating to execute a flying recovery mission.

Then, Armshaw burned Ally Gilchrist twice in a counter-attacking charge before launching a 25-yard rocket that thwacked the crossbar. A foot lower and that was the goal of the season wrapped up for 2023.

The game was suddenly frantic. City sent Owolabi through only for Conor Winn, in his first start in five months, to slide tackle the ball loose as the striker hesitated. With the keeper stranded,