Philip Hughes fired Monaghan United into the next round of the FAI Ford Cup following a narrow 1-0 win over Cork City Foras Co-op at Turner's Cross.

 

Mick Cooke's side certainly have the magic touch of late as they are already through to the final of the EA Sports Cup and now they remain on track for a possible cup double.

 

Cork must have felt a sense of deja vu in this encounter as they had already lost twice to Monaghan in the First Division and no matter what they did their was no reward for their efforts.

 

Hughes was superb up front for the visitors though as he flashed a header wide early on and then opening the scoring when he chased down a long ball and executed a fine strike past keeper Mark McNulty.

 

The Leesiders responded with some attacking force as Shane Barrett and Davin O'Neill tried their luck, but their shots were either saved by Gabriel Sava or cleared off the line.

 

So Monaghan hung on despite a barrage of pressure from the home team and booked their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

 

Cork City Foras Co-op: McNulty; Turner, O'Halloran, Horgan, Woods; O'Neill, Lordan, Duggan, O'Callaghan (Cambridge 82); Cummins, Barrett (Morrissey 82).  

 

Monaghan United: Sava; Collins, McMahon, Gartland, Grimes; O'Connor (Brennan 76), Tierney (McCrossan 29), Byrne, Clancy; Bermingham (Hanaphy 85), Hughes.  

 

Referee: G Kelly (Cork).