Cork City 1 Nantes 1 (2-4 agg): Cork City manager Pat Dolan paid tribute to his players for their brave effort to become the first Irish team to reach the semi-final of a European competition when they drew with Nantes in the second leg of their Intertoto Cup tie before a capacity 8,000 fans at Turner's Cross on Saturday.

Cork held a one goal lead for 68 minutes of the game to put themselves within one more goal of advancing after losing the first leg 1-3 in France.

They had more than a few chances of taking the second goal that would have set the stadium alight.

Cork scored after five minutes and this was a huge confidence boost for them. Neale Fenn put the ball across the penalty area which was not cleared and Kevin Doyle snatched possession to steer the ball over goalkeeper Grondin from 10 yards.

Nantes' frustration at their inability to dominate Cork was reflected in yellow cards for three players - Cork had two booked. Nantes' striker Ahamada was dismissed after a second yellow following a clash with Colin O'Brien in the 77th minute.

Nantes' substitute Pujol scored the goal that settled the tie in the 73rd minute. He won a high ball and then reacted quickly to chip over goalkeeper Michael Devine from the edge of the penalty area.

Nantes' manager Luic Amisse said: "While it is obvious Irish teams are improving in European competition I think the result was the right one overall."

CORK CITY: Devine; Lordan (Nwankwo 80), Bennett, Murray, Murphy (Woods 90); Doyle, O'Brien, O'Callaghan, Kearney; O'Flynn, Fenn (Nolan 80).

NANTES: Grondin; Caceres, Savinaud, Guillon; Da Rocha, Toulalan, Berson (Hadjadj 74), Quint (Drouin 90), Capoue; Ahamada, Bagayoko (Pujol 63).

Referee: U Rennie (England).