St Patrick's Athletic reach FAI Cup final after 2-0 win over Cork City

FAI Cup semi-final

Cork City 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 2

The Saints go marching on to a repeat of the 2021 FAI Cup final against Bohemians after a goal in each half eased them past struggling Cork City before 6,335 fans.

After four away rounds, the Inchicore outfit will finally have a homecoming on November 12 for the final at Aviva Stadium.

While City began well in pursuit of a first decider since 2018, it wasn’t seventh heaven in succession to their triumphs in their previous six semis.

And they could hardly complain about the outcome.

Mark Doyle – whose solitary goal won the league meeting between the sides nine days earlier – pounced to volley the visitors into a 12th minute lead and despite bundles of possession City couldn’t equalise and were caught with a second.

A pair of Jon Daly’s substitutes, Jay McClelland and Conor Carty, combined seven minutes from full-time to allow the latter to get over the ball and angle his volley high inside the near post.

In keeping with their disappointing first season back in the Premier Division, the future of which looks certain to be decided by a play-off in early November, the Rebel Army weren’t equipped with the quality to apply that clinical finishing touch.

The second half, in particular, was underwhelming, imbuing a sense of inevitability about that second insurance goal that delighted the 1,200-strong travelling support housed behind the goal.

Captain Joe Redmond, at the back, was imperious for the Dublin club, gradually coping with the threat from City’s top scorer Ruairi Keating. Unlike their opponents, the impact of their substitutes was limited.

Keating didn’t waste time in signalling his threat, driving at the defence within 40 seconds.

But despite being