CORK CITY BOSS John Caulfield says they mustn’t get ahead of themselves after claiming a first SSE Airtricity League Premier Division win at Oriel Park last night.
Sean Maguire’s second half penalty earned Cork City a 1-0 victory over champions Dundalk as the Leesiders followed up Monday’s 6-0 drubbing of Longford Town with another three points.
The result means the pair sit level at the top of the table alongside Derry and St Patrick’s Athletic after four matches played but Caulfield says it’s far too early to be talking about about title aspirations.
“It’s a good three points,” said Caulfield. “We were coming away from Derry seven days ago and we had lost, and Derry had deserved to beat us but we have bounced back with two wins in a week.
“We’ve got three out of four wins and three clean sheets to that was pleasing.
“They had a frees and corners but they never had a clear-cut chance. It was a frantic game and in second half we did really well. We probably had the chance of the game with Steven Beattie not scoring.
“It was a very tight game but for us to come here and win on the pitch might show the other clubs that if you come out and be positive here then you can get a result.
“It’s still only the start of the season so there is a long way to go.”
Referee Paul McLaughlin pointed to the spot on 69 minutes when Karl Sheppard’s cross was blocked by the trailing arm of Dundalk full-back Dane Massey.
Caulfield thought it was the right call and expressed his delight at Maguire’s excellent start to life at Cork.
“Look it, he handled the ball,” he added. “Dundalk might feel it was soft but it was definitely a penalty and Seanie stepped up and finished it well.
He wanted to take it and in the form he is in we were confident he was going to stick it in so fair play because there was a lot of pressure on him.
“His attitude has been phenomenal since he has come down to us so if he keeps doing that and stays fit he will have a chance (of being a 20 goal-a-season striker).
“He’s only 21 and he has massive potential but he still has to keep working hard.”
In stark contrast, Stephen Kenny’s thoughts on the game differed considerably as the Lilywhites manager was in disagreement with the awarding of the decisive spot-kick.
“I thought we played very well in the first half. It was a tight game, I thought we were the far better side in the first half and I felt we deserved to be in front but it didn’t quite fall for us.
“We could’ve had a penalty as well with the Kilduff challenge, but we just didn’t take our opportunities. There weren’t many clear-cut ones but we had a lot of the play and shots in and around the box.
“Cork had a little spell where they were on top in the second half and then the penalty was given. I felt it was a very, very harsh decision and they’re not often given like that.
It’s just one of those things and you have to accept it but in a tight game to give a decision like that is extremely harsh.
“Cork defended in numbers and we didn’t create anything or look like scoring in that last 20 minutes.
“We had a lot of pressure and all the ball but they had bodies in there and they defended well.
“It thought it was a harsh defeat and a harsh penalty but Cork have been a good side for the last couple of years, that was never in question.
“We’ve got to bounce back and we have a tough game in Inchicore next Thursday but I have every confidence in the players because they have been terrific.
“We just got turned over on a pretty iffy decision. The margins were tight but it happens.”
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