Mervue United 2 - 4 Cork City

• Terry Flaherty
• Wed, Jul 14 2010


These two sides played out the same result as when they met in Turners Cross back in March as Cork City maintained their unbeaten away record with a 4-2 win in Terryland Park on Tuesday evening. Goals in the 22nd, 42nd, 52nd and 82nd minutes ensured Tommy Dunne’s side recorded their first win in four games as they got back to winning form.

The home side started brightly, coming into the game on the back of an exciting 4-3 win over Longford Town, but some very poor defending cost them dearly against a Cork side who made them pay the price with some good finishing in front of goal.

Mervue were in front on just 5 minutes following good play by Pat Hoban and Mike Tierney as they released Rory Gaffney down the left wing. Hoban who had started the move finished it as well, firing past Mark McNulty from just inside the box after Gaffney had picked him out.

Cork should have been level on 14 minutes as Davin O’Neill jinked past Kenny Farrell and into the box, but he could only shoot straight at Ger Hanley as the keeper blocked his effort. Hanley then saved well from Shane Duggan as he got down well to block his effort from the edge of the box on 19 minutes.

The visitors were level three minutes later after O’Neill put Barrett away down the right wing and he crossed for Graham Cummins to side-foot home in the six yard box as Mervue’s defence were caught napping not for the first time on the night.

Mike Tierney played a lovely ball to Gaffney on the half hour mark before the striker weaved his way past Horgan and shot goal-wards only for Stephen Mulcahy to deflect his effort away for a corner. Hoban then hit a brilliantly struck effort from 25 yards, which beat McNulty before striking the angle of the post and bouncing off the line before being cleared to safety. At the other end Hanley was alert to save well as Cummins raced into the box following a stray pass from Tierney.

Cork hit the lead just three minutes before the break. A long ball forward from McNulty was flicked on by Cummins for Barrett to collect and he rounded the stranded Hanley before shooting into the empty net from a tight angle. Hanley then saved twice in quick succession as he denied Cummins with two fine saves in the space of a minute just before the break to keep it 2-1 at the interval.

The visitors doubled their lead seven minutes after the break as Davin O’Neill exposed more hesitant defending by the home defence as he slotted home from inside the six yard box following Horgan’s cross from the right wing.

Mervue almost reduced that advantage back to the minimum on 77 minutes as sub David Goldbey headed a Gaffney cross against McNulty’s crossbar. Cork ensured all three points with eight minutes remaining as once again the home defence fell asleep. Billy Woods dangerous delivery from the right saw Cummins nip in between two defenders to side-foot home his second of the night.

Mervue did reduce the margin back to two in the 89th minute as David Goldbey got his second goal since returning from injury as he headed home a left wing cross from fellow sub Mark Ludden but it was only a consolation score.

Mervue United: Ger Hanley; Kevin Crehan, Kenny Farrell, Nicky Curran, Mike Elwood; Tommy Walsh (David Goldbey 62 mins), Mike Tierney, Pat Hoban, Evan Connolly (Noel Varley 81 mins), Rory Gaffney, Dan Cunningham (Mark Ludden 81 mins).
Subs not used: Alex Lee and Eric Browne.
Booked: Mark Ludden (85 mins)

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Stephen Mulcahy, Greg O’Halloran, John Meade; Davin O’Neill, Billy Woods (Eoghan Lougheed 87 mins), Shane Duggan, Cillian Lordan, Shane Barrett (Gareth Cambridge 79 mins), Graham Cummins (Gearoid Morrissey 87 mins).
Subs not used: Jonas Piechnik and Gavin Kavanagh.
Booked: Stephen Mulcahy (40 mins)

Referee: Brendan Kelly
Attendance: 150 approx
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Graham Cummins. A threat all night in front of gaols and unlucky not to claim a hat-trick.