Cork City 0 Monaghan United 1:MONAGHAN UNITED'S fairytale season in the cup continues as they booked their place in the last eight thanks to Philly Hughes's 31st-minute strike at Turner's Cross last night.

With a place in the EA Sports Cup final secured, and a promotion push also eminent in the First Division, Mick Cooke’s men are set for a busy close to the season after this spirited and dogged performance against a Cork City side which couldn’t break down a back four marshalled by the unstoppable Gabriel Sava in goal.

Having already defeated Cork City twice this term in the league, Monaghan continued to hold a hex over the Leesiders thanks to Hughes’s effort midway through the first half.

The strength of United’s pivotal attacker proved too much for Neal Horgan and as Hughes brushed the defender aside, he made enough space to drill a powerful low shot into the bottom of the net.

Shane Barrett saw his effort cleared off the line by Brian Gartland on 67 minutes as Cork looked to equalise but that was the closest they came to levelling it up.

CORK CITY: McNulty; Turner, O’Halloran, Horgan, Woods; O’Neill, Duggan, Lordan, O’Callaghan (Morrissey, 82 mins); Barrett (Cambridge, 82 mins), Cummins.

MONAGHAN UNITED: Sava; Collins, McMahon, Gartland, Grimes; O’Connor (Brennan, 76 mins), Byrne, Tierney (McCrossan, 27 mins), Clancy; Bermingham (Hanaphy, 86 mins), Hughes.

Referee: G Kelly (Cork).