Europa League Report: Linfield 0 - 1 Cork City

Cork City secured their first win in Europe since 2005 on Thursday evening after a Sean Maguire penalty ensured John Caulfield’s side would take a slender 1-0 lead into the second leg at Turners Cross next Thursday.

At a rain soaked Windsor Park, Cork City looked to return to winning ways after last Friday’s 0-0 draw with Shamrock Rovers and it was the visitors who had the game’s first opportunity inside the opening minutes, when Stephen Dooley blazed wide from inside the penalty area.

Minutes later, as City began to rise to the ascendancy early on, Gearoid Morrissey was next to try his luck from distance, but the midfielder's effort was easily claimed by Roy Carroll, who was making his Linfield debut having signed just before heading off to Euro 2016.

Despite the early possession from City, the hosts gradually began to grow into the fixture and ex-City player Ross Gaynor forced Mark McNulty into an early save when the keeper pushed his dangerous free-kick over the City netminders crossbar.

The sides would soon exchange opportunities, first Sean Maguire fired straight at Carroll in the Linfield goal before Alan Bennett almost put through his own net after his looping headed clearance had to be pushed over by McNulty.

Less than sixty seconds later, the Blues should have taken the lead when Paul Smyth squandered a golden opportunity from close range after Mark Haughey’s flick on from a Gaynor corner fell to the forward, but he could only head wide from six yards.

After being let off the hook by the Linfield forward’s miss, Cork had another chance of their own soon after, but right-back Stephen Beattie saw his long range effort palmed away by Carroll before Garry Buckley fired wide after Linfield failed to clear possession.

Morrissey was the next City player to try his luck, when the midfielder found space outside the box, but his curling left footed effort failed to trouble Carroll in the Blues goal.

With the pace of the game slowing down as the rain continued to fall, opportunities on goal were limited for the remainder of the half and in the 36th minute, Karl Sheppard fired wide in what proved to be the final effort of the first-half from outside the box.

When the sides resumed for the second period and despite City making a half-time change, opportunities continued to be limited and it wasn’t until the 60th minute that either keeper was called into action when Carroll was forced to punch clear a Greg Bolger free-kick.

Three minutes later, City broke the deadlock when Dooley was brought down inside the penalty area by Stephen Lowery before Maguire calmly slotted home the spot kick.

Eight minutes after taking the lead, the men from the South should have doubled their advantage when Kevin O’Connor found Browne unmarked and the defenders headed effort from seven yards was cleared off the line by Lowey who atoned for his earlier foul on Dooley.

As Linfield began to tire, City’s match sharpness began to take over and O’Connor was the next to go close after his effort from just inside the box forced a great stop from Carroll.

Moments later, Maguire would again go close for Cork when he wriggled free inside the box after some neat control before his shot from outside the box sailed the wrong side of the goal.

Despite the late second-half dominance from City, the Leesiders will feel disappointed they couldn’t double their advantage heading into next Thursday’s second leg at Turners Cross.

Linfield: Roy Carroll; Reece Glendinning, Mark Haughey, Mark Stafford, Niall Quinn; Kirk Millar (Ross Clarke 84), Jamie Mulgrew (David Kee 56), Stephen Lowry, Ross Gaynor; Paul Smyth (Aaron Burns 72), Andy Waterworth.

Subs Not Used: Gareth Deane, Michael McLellan, Matthew Clarke, Thomas J Murray.

Booking: Reece Glendinning (76).

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Stephen Beattie, Kenny Browne, Alan Bennett, Kevin O’Connor; Garry Buckley (Mark O’Sullivan 60), Greg Bolger, Gearoid Morrissey; Stephen Dooley, Sean Maguire (Colin Healy 90), Karl Sheppard (Daniel Morrissey HT).

Subs Not Used: David Coffey, Michael McSweeney, Gavan Holohan, Ian Turner.

Booking: Greg Bolger (32), Danny Morrissey (72).

Attendance: 2,093

Referee: Bart Vertenten (BEL)

Extratime.ie Man of The Match: Kevin O’Connor (Cork City FC)

See pictures from the game as taken by Eoin Smith.