Dundalk 4
Cork City 0
DUNDALK TURNED IN their best performance of the season as they stormed back to the top of the SSE Airtricity League by beating Cork City 4-0 at Oriel Park.
Seen as an acid test of Dundalk’s aspirations this term, it ended up with Cork City’s bubble well and truly burst. A comprehensive first defeat of the season could see John Caulfield’s men drop to third if St Pats can avoid defeat against Sligo on Saturday.
All the talk ahead of this one was whether Dundalk’s title winning credentials could stand up to serious scrutiny after a shock loss to Bray last week and a fortuitous win over Athlone Town on Easter Monday. Arguably, the visit of leaders Cork City would prove their toughest assignment yet in season that has seen Stephen Kenny’s side beat Sligo and St. Pats away and almost condemn Shamrock Rovers to the same fate two weeks ago.
As it was, Cork were insipid and proved no match for the power and speed of the home side. With the match delayed by 10 minutes due to traffic congestion on the N7, the Leesiders will have been wishing they had stayed on the motorway.
When John Mountney latched onto Andy Boyle’s pass in the ninth minute, the midfielder found himself in the kind of space Cork could ill-afford to concede. He had time to turn and loop a shot over Mark McNulty for the game’s opener. Cork will have expected Dundalk to come out with intent after defeat last time out and that’s what they did with recalled trio Mountney, Patrick Hoban and Darren Meenan heavily involved.
On 18 minutes, the lead was doubled. Meenan exchanged a short corner with former Cork City youngster Daryl Horgan and delivered a pinpoint cross which was met by Hoban who headed in. It was three before half time when Richie Towell, who sprang into life as Dundalk overwhelmed their visitors, crossed for Hoban. His diagonal run left Cork’s back four standing and he flicked inside the far post.
What will disappoint anyone bar the substantial Lilywhites support in Oriel Park, is that Cork offered nothing for large parts of this game, with the first half a virtual no contest. If the neutral felt that this might be the game of the weekend, it hardly compared to the visit of Shamrock Rovers two weeks previously. There was no hell for leather here.
In the second half, Richie Towell scored his fourth league goal of the season when he fired unerringly past McNulty for a fourth. There could have been more goals but only for Dundalk. On the Rebels last three visits to Dundalk, the aggregate score is 0-10.
DUNDALK: Peter Cherrie, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle [C], Chris Shields, Daryl Horgan, John Mountney (Mark Griffin, 75), Patrick Hoban (David McMillan, 66), Dane Massey, Richie Towell, Darren Meenan (Kurtis Byrne, 80).
Substitutes: Gabriel Sava (GK) Kurtis Byrne, Ruaidhri Higgins, Mark Griffin, David McMillan, Mark Rossiter, Simon Kelly.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty, John Kavanagh (Rob Lehane, 46), John Dunleavy [C], Darren Dennehy, Gearoid Morrissey, Dan Murray, Brian Lenihan, Billy Dennehy (Dave O’Leary, 59), Mark O’Sullivan, Garry Buckley (Iarlaith Davoren, 46), Liam Kearney.
Substitutes: Matt Gledhill (GK), Colin Healy, Ian Turner, Andy O’Connell, Dave O’Leary, Rob Lehane, Iarlaith Davoren.
Referee: Paul Tuite.
Tonight’s other Airtricity results
- Shamrock Rovers 1-1 Limerick FC
- Athlone Town 0-0 Bray Wanderers
- Bohemians 1-1 Derry City
- UCD 2-1 Drogheda