Waterford United 1 - 2 Cork City

• Brendan White
• Sat, Apr 09 2011


Cork City took the spoils in an entertaining Munster derby with a 2-1 win against Waterford United in the RSC on Friday night.

The away team started as the stronger side, having most of the early possession with the home side struggling to get a hold of the ball. City had the first chance of the game but Danny Murphy struck his free-kick over the crossbar.

The home side had their first chance of the game after five minutes. Keith Quinn whipped in a cross from the left which evaded Paul Murphy before just missing Gary Keane at the back post, only for referee Rob Rogers to give a free out for a push from Murphy.

The Blues had the first booking of the game as Seamus Long was adjudged to have blocked off a run from Declan O’Brien, a little harsh to say the least. Conor Sinnott should have opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Willie John Kiely dummied a Paul Murphy cross but Sinnott blazed over from a few yards.

Midway through the first half Cork's left winger Derek O’Brien, who was the stand-out player to that point, was withdrawn due to injury and replaced by ex-Blues striker Vinny Sullivan. City's stopper Mark McNulty was called into action minutes later when he saved well from Long’s header. At the other end, O’Neill’s strike was deflected wide after a neat lay-off from Sullivan.

The opening goal arrived six minutes before the break. Conor Sinnott was hauled down just outside the penalty area and Paul Murphy’s free-kick beat the helpless McNulty after deflecting off the wall en route to goal.

The lead was short lived however, as City equalised in first-half stoppage time. The unusually quiet Cummins laid the ball off to Greg O’Halloran and he fired the ball low into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. And they could have even taken the lead a minute later, though Morrissey volleyed wide after Murphy’s cross.

Kalen Spillane was next to threaten but he headed just wide. The home side almost retook the lead in spectacular fashion with half an hour left. Willie John Kiely slid in to win the ball back on the edge of the City box, the ball dropped to Quinn and he fired a first time strike that arrowed toward the top corner before striking the top right corner of McNulty’s post.

McNulty was in action again three minutes later. Kavanagh’s back-header to his keeper was left short but McNulty got a good hand to Murphy’s attempted lob and the ball was eventually cleared. The home side threatened again through Conor Sinnott but his free kick whistled past the post, McNulty well beaten.

Cork City took the lead against the run of play with 16 minutes remaining with a well worked goal down their left wing. O’Neill beat two defenders before his attempted shot was blocked, but O’Halloran collected the ball and played a sublime through ball for Duggan. He composed himself and fired past Blues keeper Kevin Burns at the near post for the lead.

Cummins tried to add to that goal shortly after but his volley went high over Burns’ goal. A game of pinball then ensued in the City penalty area with defenders struggling to clear. The clearance came eventually but the ball returned again from Murphy only for Kenny Browne’s header was cleared.

Kiely and Rafter almost got in each others way with one minute left but Rafter’s strike was deflected wide for a corner. The home side kept the pressure up but failed to seriously test McNulty in the final minutes.

And so Cork City held on to win the first Munster Derby of the Airtricity season between these sides. City will be delighted with the win and will be happy having taken their changes in the game. For the home side, a disappointing result but a decent second half performance.

Waterford United: Burns; Coady, Murray, Browne, Long; Quinn, Sinnott, Barrett (Dempsey 82), Keane (Rafter 82); Murphy, Kiely.
Subs not used: Nolan, Breen, Carey, Chin, Wilson.
Booked: Long, Kiely, Browne.

Cork City: McNulty; Horgan, Kavanagh, Spillane, Murphy; O’Brien (Sullivan 25’), O’Halloran, Morrissey (Escude-Candau 86’), Duggan; Cummins, O’Neill.
Subs not used: Turner, Kiely, Murphy, Holland, Krazanowski.
Booked: Cummins, Kavanagh

Referee: Rob Rogers.
Man of the Match: Greg O’Halloran - Great finish for the goal and overall good performance
Attendance: 752