League Report: Cork City 3 - 1 Finn Harps

Goals from Gearóid Morrissey, Sean Maguire and Karl Sheppard were enough to cancel out Ryan Curran’s late second half strike to give Cork City a first league win in four league games at Turners Cross on Friday night against Finn Harps.

Cork City made three changes from the 2-2 draw against Galway United last week with Kevin O’Connor, Morrissey and Sean Maguire replacing Eoghan O’Connell, Ian Turner and Sheppard.

Finn Harps made two changes to the side that defeated Bray Wanderers 1-0 at home last week with Ethan Boyle and Raymond Foy starting instead of Tony McNamee and the injured Keith Cowan.

Cork City couldn’t have had a much better start to the game when Morrissey scored via a Packie Mailey deflected shot from 20 yards.

Harps struggled to get any foothold early in the contest with Steven Beattie next to try his luck but his shot from 25 yards went over the bar.

The second goal came on the seventh minute when Stephen Dooley’s corner was headed home by Maguire from six yards.

The home side played with an intensity that ensured they dominated proceedings all over the field.

Substitute Tony McNamee had the visitors first shot of the game on 23 but it went wide of Mark McNulty’s goal. The City stopper was a spectator for most of the game.

Dooley nearly scored on 32 minutes when he cut in from the wing but his low shot was blocked with Brush.

Harps were two down at the break but were a man up inside ten minutes of the second half when Kenny Browne was shown a straight red card following an altercation with Dave Scully. Scully was shown a yellow for his part in the incident.

On 69 minutes Scully’s floated cross-cum-shot was missed by Alan Bennett only for McNulty to punch the ball to safety.

The game was put beyond Harps reach on 76 minutes when Sheppard finished off from inside the box following Maguire’s assist.

Harps did however pull a late goal back on 83 minutes when Liam Flatley’s cross found Ryan Curran who shot low into the City net.

Yet City didn’t panic and had two further chances to increase the lead but Ciaran Gallagher made two brilliant late saves from Morrissey and Mark O’Sullivan’s free as City emerged victorious.

Firstly, Morrissey intercepted the ball on the half way line and then went on a lung busting run of 40 metres before seeing his shot saved by Gallagher for a corner. With injury time approaching O’Sullivan, who scored two goals on Monday night against Waterford United, saw his powerful free saved by a strong hand from Gallagher.

City now prepare for the visit of Shamrock Rovers this Monday as Harps play Wexford Youths away on Friday.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; John Dunleavy, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; Greg Bolger, Gearóid Morrissey; Steven Beattie (Danny Morrissey 77), Gary Buckley, Stephen Dooley (Karl Sheppard 57); Seán Maguire (Mark O’Sullivan 77).

Subs not used: Alan Smith, Colin Healy, Gavan Holohan, Ian Turner

Yellow Cards: O’Connor (81), Gearóid Morrissey (89)

Red Cards: Browne (55)

Finn Harps: Richard Brush (Ciarán Gallagher 61); Ethan Boyle, Damien McNulty, Packie Mailey, Ciarán Coll; Gareth Harkin; Ryan Curran, Sean Houston, Raymond Foy (Tony McNamee 10), Adam Hanlon (Liam Flatley 25); Dave Scully.

Subs not used: Ryan McConnell, Tony Crossan, Mattie Crossan, Michael Rafter

Yellow Cards: Scully (55), Boyle (88)

Red Cards: None

Referee: Padraig Sutton

Attendance: 2,403

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

You can see Steve Alfred's pictures from the game here.