Cork City 1
St Patrick’s Athletic 0
Paul Dollery reports from Turner’s Cross
A SIXTH LEAGUE goal of the season for Cork City striker Graham Cummins made the difference as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions bounced back from last weekend’s Munster derby defeat to Waterford.
Cummins headed home early in the second half tonight at Turner’s Cross, where a crowd of 4,402 witnessed the Leesiders overcome St Patrick’s Athletic. The win sees City overtake Waterford to move into second place, but they remain two points adrift of Dundalk.
Pat’s — who were eliminated from the EA Sports Cup by Dundalk after a penalty shootout on Monday night — were unchanged from last Friday’s 5-0 trouncing of Bray Wanderers. The City side showed two personnel adjustments from their 2-1 defeat in Waterford.
Colm Horgan was drafted in at right-back for his first league start for the club following his move from Galway United. Conor McCarthy subsequently moved into the centre of the defence at the expense of Aaron Barry. Suspended midfielder Garry Buckley was replaced by Karl Sheppard, with Sheppard starting out wide and Barry McNamee reverting to a more familiar central role.
Pat’s made a blistering start to this game and had the hosts under pressure on several occasions early on. With less than a minute played, McCarthy made an important block on Dean Clarke’s close-range effort. Horgan then made a crucial intervention to clear Conan Byrne’s low cross, before Byrne’s header from a Clarke cross was obstructed by Shane Griffin.
City eventually found their way into the game and they went closest to finding a first-half opener in the 14th minute. Graham Cummins got his head on McNamee’s corner, but the former St Johnstone striker’s effort came back off the post. Cummins had a similar chance from another McNamee corner moments later, but having directed his header back across the face of goal, no City player was able to make contact.
Kieran Sadlier later threatened for John Caulfield’s side but Kevin Toner did well to clear the danger from his goalbound cross. Mark McNulty was then called into action to save Clarke’s shot from just outside the box, but it was comfortable for the City goalkeeper.
Following a bright opening quarter, the contest gradually went a bit flat and chances were scarce for both sides. Shortly before the interval, Cummins squared the ball for Sadlier in the box but the City playmaker was unable to get it under control. A Jamie Lennon shot for Pat’s was deflected over the crossbar by Horgan. The corner found its way to Byrne, but his shot was well off target after he cut in from the left.
After a goalless opening period, the deadlock was broken just four minutes after the restart. City captain Conor McCormack picked the ball up in midfield and his inch-perfect cross found Cummins, whose looping header beat Barry Murphy to give the home side the upper hand.
City were then forced to retreat, with Pat’s enjoying the majority of possession in their search for an equaliser. But the champions — who now haven’t conceded a goal in their last seven competitive home games — defended well, as the visitors struggled to find a way through.
Gearoid Morrissey was close to doubling City’s lead with a long-range effort after Pat’s substitute Christy Fagan put his defence under pressure with a wayward pass, but the midfielder’s shot went inches wide.
The Saints’ best opportunity to draw level came in the 72nd minute, when Owen Garvan’s free found Ryan Brennan at the back post. However, he was unable to test Mark McNulty from an admittedly difficult position.
Cummins forced Murphy into a good save from a volley less than a minute later, after Pat’s failed to clear their lines. At the other end, Simon Madden set up Fagan on the edge of the box but the Pat’s striker couldn’t keep his shot down.
With five minutes of normal time remaining, two City substitutes combined for what looked set to be their side’s second goal. Former Pat’s striker Josh O’Hanlon did well to play in Jimmy Keohane, but Murphy produced a superb save. Thankfully for Keohane, it was a missed chance that didn’t prove costly as they sealed the win despite some late Pat’s pressure.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Colm Horgan, Conor McCarthy, Sean McLoughlin, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrissey; Karl Sheppard, Barry McNamee, Kieran Sadlier (Jimmy Keohane, 80); Graham Cummins (Josh O’Hanlon, 84).
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Lee Desmond, Kevin Toner, Ian Bermingham; Owen Garvan (Graham Kelly, 80), Ryan Brennan (Darragh Markey, 77); Conan Byrne, Jamie Lennon, Dean Clarke; Jake Keegan (Christy Fagan, 68).
Referee: Rob Hennessy
