St Patricks Athletic 0 - 1 Cork City
Credit:
Cork City defeated St Patrick's Athletic on Tuesday night with a minimum of fuss. Danny Murphy got the games only goal on the hour mark when he placed a twenty two yard free kick into the bottom corner of the net.
Stephen Paisley, Dessie Byrne, John Murphy and Gary O'Neill were again sidelined for Pats. Still undecided about the merits of playing Jamie Harris upfront, Johnny McDonnell decided to give it another go. The uncompromising Welsh centre back was this time partnered by Mark Quigley. Fresh from their Setanta Cup triumph, Cork made just one change with Darragh Ryan coming in for the suspended Darren Murphy.
The first half was a dull affair, with both sides far from their best. Mark Quigley spotted Mark McNulty off his line after eighteen minutes but his attempted volley from thirty five yards sailed into the temporary stand behind the Cork keeper.
Former Rockmount player Alan O'Connor had a go from outside the box after the Pats defence backed off him but he failed to connect as sweetly as he would have liked and didn't trouble Barry Ryan.
Quigley was again the dangerman on the half hour mark. The ball made its way to him after Jamie Harris failed to control a ball played through but Quigley took too long to make up his mind on what to do and the chance was gone. Lawrie Dudfield then sent a header from eight yards wide of the target.
Not long after the restart Pats had their best chance of the game. Fahy advanced into the Cork half unchallenged and stroked the ball in to the path of the ever willing Ryan Guy. Guy set himself up nicely, but wasn't able to find the net with a right footed shot from sixteen yards.
Derek O'Brien's weak volley from outside the box a couple of moments later didn't trouble McNulty nor did Quigley's shot from a similar distance after fifty five minutes.
Cork took the lead on the hour mark. Denis Behan was hauled down twenty two yards from goal, and full back Danny Murphy neatly placed the resultant free kick into the corner of the net. Pats were close to drawing level almost immediately, but Guy's spectacular overhead kick went narrowly over the bar.
There was an improvement in Pats performance for the final thirty minutes, but in wasn't enough to force an equaliser. The Inchicore side have looked a shadow of their former selves in the last month or so.
The result moves Cork back into fourth place. They entertain fifth placed Sligo Rovers on Friday night, knowing that a win will guarantee them a fourth place finish.
St Patrick's Athletic: Barry Ryan; Damien Lynch (Gary Dempsey 39), Dave Partridge, Jason Gavin, Dave Rogers; Ryan Guy, Joe O'Cearuill, Keith Fahey (Alan Kirby 67), Derek O'Brien; Mark Quigley, Jamie Harris (Glen Fitzpatrick 70).
Subs not used: Lance Friesz, Stephen Brennan.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Dan Murray, Pat Sullivan, Danny Murphy; Darragh Ryan, Alan O'Connor, Joe Gamble, Liam Kearney ; Lawrie Dudfield, Denis Behan.
Subs not used: Michael Devine, Sean Kelly, Cillian Lordan, Timmy Kiely, Gareth Cambridge.
Referee: Declan Hanney.
