Bluebirds through to FA Cup final after edging past Tykes
Dave Jones' side win the battle of the Championship sides
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Sunday, 06, Apr 2008 09:02
Cardiff City have reached the FA Cup final after a 1-0 win over Barnsley at Wembley.
A stunning goal by Joe Ledley in the ninth minute sets-up a final showdown with Portsmouth at Wembley on May 17th.
Tykes boss Simon Davey named the same side that beat Chelsea with Stephen Foster being passed fit, while the Bluebirds were without Paul Parry, Steve Thompson, and the cup-tied Warren Feeney.
In a bright opening, Dave Jones' side took an early lead when Ledley's hooked shot from 16 yards arrowed into the top corner.
Barnsley came agonisingly close to equalising two minutes later when Peter Enckelman flapped at a cross and Glenn Loovens hacked the ball off the line.
Then it was Trevor Sinclair's turn to rescue his side when he cleared the ball off the line on 25 minutes after Istvan Ferenczi's shot.
The second half was a dreary affair which mirrored yesterday's semi-final between Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion.
Cardiff missed a great chance early on when an unmarked Gavin Rae directed his weak header straight at Luke Steele.
The half continued to be a scrappy affair devoid of quality, summed up by Barnsley's Kayode Odejayi being sent clear on goal but dragging the ball wide on 66 minutes.
Jones' side rarely ventured forward in the second half, when they did midfielder Rae blazed over with a long-range pile-driver seven minutes from time.
Despite four minutes of added time, Barnsley were unable to grab an equaliser to bring their FA Cup dream to an end.