U19 League Report: Cork City U19 4 - 0 Shamrock Rovers U19

Cork City under-19s kept up their fantastic unbeaten run and ensured they ended the Southern Section in style with a 4-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in Bishopstown on Saturday afternoon.

Fresh off the back of their Enda McGuill Cup success in Turners Cross the week before, Stephen Bermingham’s side were impressive throughout and showed once again that they are an immensely talented group of footballers. They have beaten all-comers this year and, as City’s underage sides go, this one must surely be right up there with on the clubs greatest of all time.

City have the knockout stages of the league to look forward to in the coming weeks, which will start as it stands with a home fixture against Finn Harps.

On top of all of that of course, there is the very exciting prospect of European football also to look ahead to against Finnish side HJK Helsinki. Testing themselves against sides across the continent is a very deserving reward for this Cork side, many of whom look to have bright futures in the game.

With the likes of Conor McCarthy and Chiedozie Ogbene among those who have been involved with John Caulfield’s first team side, along with Rovers, who were depleted at under-19 level because some of their squad members played in the senior game with City the night before, both sides have shown the benefits that the underage League Of Ireland has brought to the domestic game.

Cork set their stall out from the outset and they went in front with just six minutes on the clock. Aaron Drinan, who has been in sensational goal scoring form all season long, showed his predatory instincts in front of goal and kept his run of finding the back of the net going, when he finished well after good work from Denzil Fernandes.

City held onto possession and passed the ball around brilliantly, as has often been the norm this season, as they were dictating the flow of the game. There was little surprise when they went two goals ahead in the 22^nd minute as Drinan was on hand to pounce and finish from close range on the rebound after Rovers keeper Evan Moran saved to deny Ross Welch.

Chiedoze Ogebene’s reputation and stature is growing more and more as the weeks progress. His athleticism and raw natural talent has not gone unnoticed by Caulfield and he has played for the City first team on a number of occasions this term, most recently less than 24 hours earlier in the first team victory against the same opposition.

Glimpses of his ability were to be seen in Citys third goal after 51 minutes, as he cut in at pace from the left hand side, running towards the box before finishing calmly.

City’s fourth arrived minutes later as a Daragh Gibbons own goal compounded the Dublin sides misery and put the game well and truly beyond their reach. The Hoops can at least take consolation from the fact that they will also be involved in the knockout stages of the league.

Cork were to assume control between then and the game’s conclusion, creating a number of chances to add to their tally. Although a fifth goal never materialized, City ended their Southern Section campaign in a positive manner and it will take a brave man to bet against them having more success between now and the conclusion of the campaign.

So in a run which has seen them go through the entire Southern Section unbeaten, along with the Cup success, the 2016 season has been quite a good one. With the knockout stages of the league and European Football to come in the coming weeks, a great season for the club could get even better between now and the conclusion.
 

Cork City: David Coffey (Adam Mylod 80); Pierce Phillips, Garan Manley, Conor McCarthy, Adam O’Sullivan; Cian Coleman, Alec Byrne (Patrick Crowley 57); Denzil Fernandes (Cian Leonard 68), Ross Welch, Chiedozie Ogbene (Jordan O'Regan 57); Aaron Drinan (Ronan Hurley 72).
 

Shamrock Rovers: Evan Moran; Conor Gleeson, Daragh Gibbons, Gavin Kearney, Jamie Wilson; Eoghan Moran (Mikey Quinn 46), Eoin Stokes (Calvin Rogers 18); Jamie Hamilton, Richie English, Dean Kivlevan (Freddie McGready 56); Luke Rossiter.

Referee: Dave Keeler (Cork).

Attendance: 100 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Aaron Drinan (Cork City).