Report: Cork City 2 - 0 Cliftonville

Cork recorded their third win on the trot when they defeated a poor Cliftonville side by two goals to nil at Turners Cross last night. The visitors somehow held out until midway through the second half before conceding. The inevitable goal eventually arrived through John OFlynn and then four minutes later Dave Mooney struck for the fourth time in five games to give City a lead they were not likely to lose.

Just how Cork failed to score in the first half remains to be seen. Its been said recently that the football City have been playing this season isnt a patch on the passing game that they were capable of producing under former manager Damien Richardson - however they showed last night, particularly in the first forty five, that when in the mood, they are without doubt the best footballing side in the country.

As early as the third minute the 1681 strong Turners Cross crowd were given a taste of what was to follow. George O'Callaghan and Liam Kearney exchanged passes and the former Shels winger picked out full back Danny Murphy on the right wing. Murphy took a touch, looked up, and curled a teasing cross deep to the far post to where Dave Mooney had pulled away from his marker . Mooney opted to hit the ball first time on the volley and perhaps couldn't have caught it better. John Connolly in the Cliftonville goal was lucky that it was more or less straight at him as otherwise he wouldn't have stood a chance. The ball rebounded quickly off the keeper and clearly struck the hand of Cliftonville defender Declan O'Hara - referee Hanney wasn't interested though and waived play on.

Two minutes later Mooney had another two chances. He lost his footing at the crucial moment as a Kearney cross came in from the left but still managed to make a weak connection with his head - the ball found its way to beyond the far post, O'Callaghan whipped it back in, but from just eight yards Mooney blasted it over the bar. Cliftonville's only real effort of the half came after ten minutes when George McMullan shot wide from twenty five yards.

O'Flynn retrieved a half cleared corner and picked out O'Callaghan in the box. The number ten hit it first time and Connolly made a fine save low to his left. O'Flynn then spurned a good chance of his own when he picked the ball up wide on the right from Joe Gamble. O'Flynn turned left back Ronan Scannell one way and then the other before cutting inside and striking a left footed shot into the side netting at Connollys front post.

Danny Murphy tried his luck from distance but didn't trouble Connolly too much. O'Callaghan was then fouled yet again on the left wing, level with the edge of the eighteen yard box. Kearney floated the free kick towards the far post but Dave Mulcahy wasn't able to keep his header down. Mooney then twice went close again - first with a front post header from a Kearney corner and then in the same passage of play he shot over from sixteen yards.

Kearney and O'Callaghan were running the show at this stage and at times Cliftonville found it nearly impossible to win back possession. Kearney again found Mooney with a pinpoint cross at the back post. Although he was leaning back Mooney managed to keep his volley down and send it back across the front of the goal past the outstretched arm of Connolly - but centre back David McAlinden was on hand to clear it off the line.

The final five minutes of the half were no different from what had come before. Mooney headed wide from a Sean Hargan cross - in fact it may have even clipped the outside of the upright. O'Callaghan broke from midfield, got ahead of the play and was in on goal but for the late intervention of O'Hara. Kearney then picked up the half clearance but didn't connect properly and saw his shot sail harmlessly wide. Kearney then popped up on the right hand side and looking for Mooney clipped the ball into the box - the defender got a foot to the cross but only knocked it in to the path of O'Callaghan. O'Callaghan reacted quickly and adjusted his footing before striking it on the half volley - however Connolly again pulled off a fine save. The half ended with O'Callaghan firing wide from thirty yards.

Cork were quick out of the traps for second half and should have again taken the lead after just four minutes. Mooney received the ball with his back to goal about ten yards into the oppositions half. He turned neatly and spread the play out to Kearney wide on the left. Kearney crossed quickly and O'Flynn rose unchallenged five yards from goal - but to the amazement of everyone he mistimed his header and simply headed it straight down into the ground - after which a grateful Connolly just plucked it from the air.

Cliftonville were growing with confidence the longer City failed to score and came close to taking a shock lead just before the hour mark. City gave possession away cheaply and the visitors strung a few clever passes together. Attacker Kieran O'Connor received the ball forty yards from goal, spotted Mick Devine off his line and lofted the ball towards goal. Devine was struggling to get back in time but it wasn't to matter as O'Connors effort didn't come back down in time and ended up two or three yards too high.

With Mulcahy forced off through injury Colin Healy took over at centre back alongside Killian Lordan. With just twenty minutes left on the clock he carried the ball out of defence and ran into the space afforded to him by the tiring Cliftonville midfield. The Irish international then found Kearney who went on to beat his man with ease, prior to shooting over with his right foot.

Mooney then drifted out to wide on the left and struck a low powerful cross into the box. Full back Horgan had taken a chance and got into the box - he met the cross first time from eight yards only for Connolly to pull off yet another excellent save - however he could only parry the shot and O'Flynn was on hand to tap it into the net. On their next attack Mooney turned exquisitely in the box and forced a corner as Connolly again denied him. O'Callaghan received the ball short from the corner and Mooney finally got his goal when he headed home a perfectly weighted cross.

In the final ten minutes O'Hara headed over from a corner for Cliftonville and Gamble twice went close when he broke into the box and went one on one with the keeper. On the first occasion he just about rounded Connolly but shot wide and then in the second minute of additional time he seemed to panic and couldn't get the ball from out under his feet after he had done the hardest part.

Cork City: Michael Devine; Neal Horgan, Dave Mulcahy (Pat Sullivan 61), Cillian Lordan, Danny Murphy; Colin Healy, George O'Callaghan (Darren Murphy 88), Joe Gamble, Liam Kearney; John OFlynn (Alan O'Connor 81), Dave Mooney.
Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Darragh Ryan, Colin O'Brien, Denis Behan.

Cliftonville: John Connolly; Aaron Smyth, David McAlinden, Declan O'Hara, Ronan Scannell; Kieran O'Connor, Ryan Catney, Barry Johnston, George McMullan (John Martin 86); Mark Holland (Shea Campbell 77), Chris Scannell.
Subs not used: Paul McKane, Liam Fleming, Barry Holland, Stephen O'Neill, Ciaran Boyd.

Referee: Declan Hanney.