- Macdara Ferris
- Tue, Oct 20 2015
See a full slideshow of pictures for the game as taken by Tom Beary here.
Cork City took a big step to securing runners up spot in the league for the second year running with a 2-1 win over St. Patrick’s Athletic in Richmond Park on Monday night. The Leesiders need one more win from their remaining two games (home to Dundalk and away to Bohs) to secure that second spot, and that is assuming Shamrock Rovers can get maximum points from their last two games.
Meanwhile Pat’s still must battle Bohs for the final European spot available in the league as the Saints went down to their sixth loss in their last eight league games. Pat’s still need at least two more points from their remaining two games (home to Sligo and away to Galway) to guarantee Europe.
Even with Sean Hoare and Jason McGuinness back from suspension, Liam Buckley decided to go with Killian Brennan at the back once again, keeping an unchanged Pat’s side from last Friday’s 2-1 win over Drogheda United.
Brennan had put in a man-of-the-match performance in that win for the Saints but City had more firepower up front compared to Drogheda and they were able to exploit certain Saints defensive frailties, in the first half in particular, as Pat’s continue to miss the injured Ger O’Brien.
Cork City won their first corner of the game and promptly scored the first goal of the match from it on nine minutes. City captain John Dunleavy swung the set piece into the back of the six yard box to Darren Dennehy. His header across the goal came to Ross Gaynor, and while Killian Brennan tried to clear, Steven Beattie was on hand to tap home from a couple of yards out.
It was typical Pat’s play from then on for most of the rest of the half, with plenty of possession being funelled through James Chambers in the middle of the park. However, Pat’s couldn’t quite find the penetration to draw the game level.
They had a couple of free kicks, one from Brennan that required a save from Mark McNulty, and a Dunleavy block preventing a powerful shot from Christy Fagan forcing McNulty into further action.
Pat’s continued to press but got caught out high up the field as City scored a superb second on 23 minutes. It was a delightful goal that doubled Cork’s lead but a strike that cost them the goalscorer. Karl Sheppard played the ball from deep over the top of the advanced Pat’s defence. Danny Morrisey running onto the ball that came over his shoulder lifted the ball on the volley just over Conor O’Malley with a fine first time volley.
Morrisey didn’t run off to celebrate the goal in front of the travelling City fans to his right though as, for the second time this season, he injured himself in the act of scoring a goal. John Caulfield made the switch bringing on John O’Flynn as Morrissey hamstring injury meant he would play no further part in the contest.
The Leesiders could well have been three up just after the half-hour mark when Brennan left a back pass short but O’Malley was sharp to the chance and smothered Kevin O’Connor’s effort.
Pat’s came close a couple of times to getting a goal back before the break. Another set piece from Brennan, this time a corner, provided Chambers with a free header that he couldn’t direct goalwards. McNulty then pulled off the final save of the half after Brennan coming forward fed Aaron Greene who set up Jamie McGrath for the shot.
In the second half, City were happy to sit deep and allow Pat’s to try and play around them. The Saints looked to get in behind the deep lying Leesider defence with Jamie McGrath’s quick feet causing City difficulty at times. When the midfielder got forward into the box on the hour mark, he forced a fine close range save from McNulty.
O’Flynn’s flying diving header up the other end caused fluttering of hearts in the home fans but the attempt drifted wide of O’Malley’s goal. Buckley brought on Sean Hoare on 62 minutes pushing Brennan forward into midfield as they continued to chase the game with McGrath flashing a header wide from a Chambers corner.
They finally got a goal as the match ticked towards the five minutes of injury time that was to come. After some neat passing on the edge of the box, Aaron Greene got in on the left and slotted home what turned out to be a consolation goal for Pat’s.
John Caufield will be proud of his team’s performance as they resolutely held out for the precise three points at St. Pat’s expense. Rather than looking above them to grabbing third over Shamrock Rovers, the Saints are still looking over their shoulder at Bohs who are pressing Pat’s hard for that final European spot.
St Patrick's Athletic: Conor O’Malley; Lee Desmond, Shane McEleney, Killian Brennan (Jack Bayly 82), Ian Bermingham ©; James Chambers; Conan Byrne (Seán Hoare 62), Aaron Greene, Ian Morris (Sam Verdon 82), Jamie McGrath; Christy Fagan.
Subs Not Used: Pat Jennings, Jason McGuinness, Greg Bolger, Darragh Markey.
Booked: Greene (43).
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, Darren Dennehy, Alan Bennett, Ross Gaynor; John Dunleavy ©, Gary Buckley (Liam Kearney 52); Steven Beattie (Mark O’Sullivan 90), Kevin O’Connor, Karl Sheppard; Danny Morrissey (John O’Flynn 25).
Subs Not Used: Alan Smith, Cian Coleman, Stephen Folan, Billy Dennehy.
Booked: Gaynor (29), Beattie (44).
Referee: Derek Tomney.
Attendance: 723.
Extratime Man of the Match: John Dunleavy (Cork City).
