League Report: Cork City 2 - 0 Bohemians

Cork City kept up their winning form this year, defeating 10 man Bohemians thanks to a brace from new signing Sean Maguire.

Maguire spent much of last season on the bench at Dundalk, struggling to hit top form, but since joining Cork City from Oriel Park he has been a class act, scoring three times in the last two games at Turner’s Cross to quickly earn himself the tag of fans favourite.

Of the seven signings who started for City, they all impressed with Eoghan O’Connell rock solid at the back, while Gearóid Morrissey started where he left, bossing the centre of the field, with Greg Bolger playing a good supporting role.

The first half was a relatively poor affair with little chances, leaving the home fans wondering where was this new attacking set up mentioned by John Caulfield during the week.

Bohemians won a few corners but never truly tested City stopper Mark McNulty.

The second half was when the goals arrived with Maguire first scoring on 53 minutes when O’Connell’s pass found Anto Murphy in no man’s land, allowing Maguire to run in behind and convert from close range.

This put Bohemians completely on the back foot, something they would never recover from.

And the game was put beyond doubt on 63 minutes when Kenny Browne, making his debut for City saw his long ball reach Maguire who won the battle with Murphy once again to shoot home from a tight angle with the far post ensuring the ball crossed the line.

Morrissey had a few chances to further extend the lead, but Bohemians, try as they might never looked like scoring as the City defence which had suffered a few hairy moments in the opening 45 looked far more assured, leaving Mark McNulty with his first clean sheet of the season.

Late on Roberto Lopez saw red for a second yellow, fouling Stephen Dooley as Keith Long’s night went from bad to worse.

City now prepare for a long journey north to Derry, while Bohemians play Sligo Rovers at home next Friday night hoping to gain their first points of the season.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Eoghan O’Connell, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, John Dunleavy; Greg Bolger, Gearóid Morrissey; Ian Turner (Karl Sheppard 75), Gavan Holohan (Steven Beattie 68), Stephen Dooley (Colin Healy 85); Sean Maguire.

Subs not used: Mark O’Sullivan, Danny Morrissey, Michael McSweeney, Alan Smith

Yellow Cards: Browne (18), Dunleavy (32), Sheppard (77).

Red Cards: None.

Bohemians: Dean Delany; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Anto Murphy (Eoin Wearen 74), Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh, Roberto Lopes, Keith Buckley, Jake Kelly (Mark Quigley 66); Kurtis Byrne; Ismahil Akinade (Dan Byrne 86).

Subs not used: Ayman Ben Mohamed, Adam Evans, Lee Steacy, Dylan Hayes.

Yellow Cards: Pender (37), Lopez (55 & 80).

Red Cards: Lopez (80).

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Attendance: 4,028.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Sean Maguire (Cork City).