Report: Cork City 0 - 0 Drogheda Utd
Credit:
Cork City and Drogheda United played out a scoreless draw as round two of the Setanta Sports cup got underway in Turners Cross tonight.
One would, with the shackles of league pressure thrown off, have hoped to have seen a much more exciting encounter between the reigning League and Setanta Cup champions and the reigning FAI cup champions. Instead this was a poor encounter dominated by, to be fair, two sets of excellent defences.
Time after time both sides’ attacks were cancelled out by well drilled defenders with Graham Gartland and Stuart Byrne outstanding in the Drogheda defence while the city back four, having much less to do were equally impressive. Unfortunately good defending will not bring the excitement to the games most would love to see.
Cork made 4 changes to the starting line-up from the Shamrock Rovers game – into the defence came Dan Murray, who had recovered from flu, Neal Horgan, and Darragh Ryan also came into the starting line-up at the expense of Dave Mulcahy, Pat Sullivan and the suspended Danny Murphy. Also in was John O’Flynn for his first start of the season in place of Denis Behan. Drogheda made two changes form the team that played Sligo. Guy Bates and and John Tambouras were left out in favour of Paul Keegan and 6’6” Senagal striker Ibrahima Lyane Thiam.
The first half started lively and there was plenty of endeavour on offer. O’Callaghan and Mooney had half chances for Cork early on, Adam Hughes flashed a header wide for the Drogs. Cork City however were having the better of the play and all too often good build-up work was not yielding a shot in anger. This finally changed in the 32nd minute when City had the only real chance of the half – O’Callaghan was released by O’Flynn who squared the ball back from the end line and with Mooney and O’Flynn seemingly lining up to knock it past Vilmunen – the ball fell slightly behind O’Flynn and the Drogheda keeper was able to make an easy save.
The second half – if it were possible became even more uneventful than the first half. However the 45 odd minutes of football was punctuated by two sublime pieces of footballing skill. First up it was Michael Devine in the Cork City goal who made a wonderful save on the 66th minute mark when diving down low to his right to save a Paul Keegan header.
Next up it was George O’Callaghan, who having been afforded much space on the right hand side by Drogheda all night, whipped in a sublime cross in the 78th minute. It beat the excellent Drogheda back four all ends up and Liam Kearney guided the ball past Vilmulen in the Drogheda goal only to see his effort scrape past the wrong side of the Drogheda upright.
So a point each cold comfort for the 2,480 people at a bitterly cold turners cross, the City faithful wondering when the first home goal of the season is going to come. Next chance is at home to Derry City Friday night.
Cork City: Michael Devine; Neal Horgan, Darragh Ryan (Pat Sullivan 72), Dan Murray, Cillian Lordan; Colin Healy, Joe Gamble, George O’Callaghan, Liam Kearney; Dave Mooney (Denis Behan 74), John O’Flynn.
Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Dave Mulcahy, Colin O’Brien, Darren Murphy, Sean Kelly.
Drogheda United: Mikko Vilmunen; Joe Kendrick, Graham Gartland, Brian Shelly, Stuart Byrne; Shane Robinson, Adam Hughes, Paul Keegan, Ollie Cahill (Richie Baker 68); Ibrahima Thiam Iyane (Guy Bates 57), Eamon Zayed (Aidan O'Keefe 77).
Subs not used: Jamie Ewings, John Tambouras, Sami Ristila, Gareth Whelan.
Referee: Dave McKeown.
Attendance: 2,480
Beamish Man of the Match: Joe Gamble (Cork City).
