Cork City 1
Athlone Town 0
Stephen Barry reports from Turner’s Cross
GOOD FRIDAY AT the Cross promised an evening of penance until a saviour emerged in the form of Charlie Lyons.
Three points at the Cross!#CCFC84 || #LOI pic.twitter.com/MdStpEXyiN
— Cork City FC (@CorkCityFC) March 29, 2024
A drab First Division encounter was enlivened by the Innishannon native’s first goal for Cork City, rising unmarked to meet Jack Doherty’s near-post corner in the 68th minute.
City still required a spectacular reflex save from Brad Wade in the fifth and final minute of added time, tipping Daniel McKenna’s deflected volley over the bar.
That clinched a fifth clean sheet on the spin and extended the Rebel Army’s unbeaten start to the season in front of 3,084 fans. Their grip on top spot was further tightened with Treaty United’s defeat by Finn Harps, who move second.
Ireland U17 Cathal O’Sullivan returned from international duty in Portugal to replace Niall Brookwell in City’s only change from their scoreless draw in Limerick.
Tim Clancy also made a positional switch between Doherty and Nathan Wood, with the Newport County loanee leading the line until he was hooked at half-time for Cian Murphy.
The visitors brought their own international dimension through German Fuentes Rodriguez, who made his El Salvador debut against world champions Argentina last weekend. They deployed tight man-markers to shackle the central axis of Greg Bolger, Evan McLaughlin, and Doherty, with the latter particularly starved of service by McKenna for long spells.
Josh Fitzpatrick had the beating of his man down the left and the closest thing City had to a first-half shot was a cross from the 18-year-old which proved too hot to handle for Enda Minogue. It rolled across rather than over the line.
Athlone had entered as the Division’s top scorers despite failing to win in their last five games. They offered less in attack here as Dean Ebbe’s highly speculative effort rolled harmlessly wide.
Set pieces appeared a rare outlet for City but Cian Coleman’s header in traffic was cleared by Carl Mujaguzi.
At the end of a dull half, Athlone had the best opening but Lyons’ diving block denied Aaron Connolly.
Murphy’s half-time introduction helped to give City greater impetus, although a heavy first touch cost him an early chance.
City’s teenage wingers Fitzpatrick and O’Sullivan looked most likely to produce something and good interplay between the pair earned a free. Coleman met the delivery in a crowd but couldn’t make a clean connection.
Bolger’s brilliant passing created the next chance as O’Sullivan and Murphy both had shots closed down by Dylan Hand before McLaughlin blazed over.
Barry Coffey and Cian Bargary were called upon as City slowly cranked up the pressure.
When the goal did arrive, it came from a series of set pieces. Bolger aimed a whipped free-kick at Lyons’ front post run but it deflected just wide of the far stick. From Doherty’s corner, they tried the same trick. This time, Lyons arose unmarked to nod home.
Top-scorer Doherty limped off towards the end, unfortunate timing given the hectic Easter schedule.
CORK CITY: B Wade; H Nevin, C Coleman, C Lyons, J O’Donovan; G Bolger, E McLaughlin (B Coffey 62); C O’Sullivan (C Bargary 62), J Doherty (J Umeh 80), J Fitzpatrick (N Brookwell 80); N Wood (C Murphy h-t).
ATHLONE TOWN: E Minogue; O Duffy, G Fuentes Rodriguez, D Hand, J Jones (B Torre 81); D McKenna; M Leal (R Oliveria Ferreira 68), A Connolly, C Mujaguzi (D Gavin 81), J Ibrahim (G Tetteh 58); D Ebbe.
Referee: D Dunne (Dublin).