Let $R(C_n)$ be the Ramsey number of the cycle on $n$ vertices. We prove that, for some $C > 0$, with high probability every $2$-colouring of the edges of $G(N,p)$ has a monochromatic copy of $C_n$, as long as $N\geq R(C_n) + C/p$ and $p \geq C/n$. This is sharp up to the value of $C$ and it improves results of Letzter and of Krivelevich, Kronenberg and Mond.