Cork City 1
Derry City 4
Paul Dollery reports from Turner’s Cross
JUNIOR OGEDI-UZOKWE played a pivotal role for Derry City as they compounded Cork City’s woes at Turner’s Cross this evening.
Ogedi-Uzokwe, who’s on loan from Colchester United, scored twice to give the visitors a 3-0 half-time lead, having earlier set up David Parkhouse to open the scoring.
Shortly after Daire O’Connor was given his marching orders for the home side in the second half, Ogedi-Uzokwe completed his hat-trick, which left Cork on course to equal their biggest ever home defeat in a league fixture.
That was prevented by a late header from Graham Cummins, but it was still a first three-goal loss on Leeside for City since they were beaten 3-0 here by Limerick in a First Division fixture in May 2010.
Fourth-placed Derry maintained their push for European football with this comprehensive victory in front of a 2,302 attendance, while Cork — who have now failed to win in their last five games in all competitions — stay in seventh, although eighth-placed Waterford have played three games fewer.
While the early stages of this match were evenly-contested, Derry always looked more threatening in the final third. That soon manifested itself on the scoreboard.
They were ahead on 11 minutes when Ogedi-Uzokwe acrobatically played the ball across the face of the Cork goal. Parkhouse was on hand to beat goalkeeper Mark McNulty, who’ll be disappointed by his failure to deny the on-loan Sheffield United striker.
Cork responded positively and caused a couple of nervy moments for the Candystripes, particularly when Gearoid Morrissey’s left-footed strike forced Peter Cherrie into a fine save against his former club.
Nevertheless, Derry’s lead was doubled in the 27th minute. Greg Sloggett created space on the right with a sharp turn, before crossing for Ogedi-Uzokwe, who finished emphatically on the volley.
Their third goal arrived just three minutes later. After Gerardo Bruna’s free-kick was deemed to have struck the arm of Conor McCormack in the Cork City wall, Ogedi-Uzokwe placed the ball on the penalty spot. McNulty saved his first attempt, but the 25-year-old English attacker made no mistake with the rebound.
Possibly playing his final game for his hometown club before an anticipated move to Shamrock Rovers, Graham Cummins headed narrowly wide after being picked out by James Tilley’s in-swinging free-kick, as Cork sought to reduce the deficit.
However, the hosts were perhaps fortunate not to be further behind at the break, as Parkhouse was left to rue two close-range opportunities with which he failed to hit the target.
In an effort to claw their way back into the contest, Cork replaced midfielder Gearoid Morrissey with striker Darragh Rainsford for the second half. They went close to pulling a goal back in the 54th minute, only for Dan Casey’s drilled free-kick to shave the top of the crossbar.
An uphill battle became even more daunting moments later, however, as Daire O’Connor was dismissed. Having been booked in the first half for a foul on Jamie McDonagh, the winger was adjudged to have dived in an attempt to win a free-kick by referee Rob Hennessy, who showed him another yellow card.
Ogedi-Uzokwe notched his third goal on 65 minutes, heading home at the back post after he was picked out by McDonagh.
Cummins beat Cherrie by getting his head to Kevin O’Connor’s corner with two minutes of normal time remaining, but it was scant consolation on another miserable night for Cork City.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy, Dan Casey, Sean McLoughlin, Kevin O’Connor; Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrissey (Darragh Rainsford, HT); James Tilley (Ronan Hurley, 57), Garry Buckley (Garry Comerford, 90), Daire O’Connor; Graham Cummins.
DERRY CITY: Peter Cherrie; Jamie McDonagh, Eoin Toal, Ally Gilchrist, Ciaran Coll; Greg Sloggett, Gerardo Bruna (Jack Malone, 71); Ciaron Harkin, Barry McNamee (Shane McNamee, 80), Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe (Eoghan Stokes, 71); David Parkhouse.
Referee: Rob Hennessy.
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