Cork City get back to winning ways with derby win over Waterford

FAI Cup

Cork City 3 Waterford 0

Could this be the spark to ignite a late-season City revival?

Ruairí Keating scored an emotional goal within a minute, pointing skyward in tribute to his late father, Ciarán.

Josh Honohan wrapped up this Munster derby before Waterford could wake up and Cian Bargary added the cherry on top late on.

It sends Cork City into the FAI Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2018, when they were contesting their fourth final in a row.

If this Storm Betty-delayed second-round tie is to prove a promotion/relegation play-off rehearsal, it showed Waterford still have much ground to make up on their rivals down the N25.

City now have four days to recover for a league trip to Drogheda United which could make or break their hopes of automatic survival.

Such has been the swing in momentum between the top-tier strugglers and promotion chasers that the bookies made Waterford favourites for this tie. That confidence was mirrored by the strong away support among the 2,407 attendance at Turner’s Cross.

City entered with just one win in their last 10 games (three draws, six losses), while Waterford were unbeaten in seven (four wins, three draws), albeit at a lower level.

The visitors had lost Barry Baggley to injury and Eddie Nolan to retirement since their last outing, giving starts to 17-year-old prospect Romeo Akachukwu and Fleetwood Town loanee Drew Baker.

There was a minute’s silence for former FAI president and lifelong Cork football volunteer Tony Fitzgerald before kick-off.

It took City the exact same length of time to open the scoring.

Top-scorer Keating, back in the starting team, netted for the first time since the passing of his father, Ciarán, last month.

Jaze Kabia won possession (far