Cork City 1 - 3 Sligo Rovers
Credit:
Sligo Rovers stepped up their preparations for the 2011 campaign with a decent 3-1 win over Cork City at Musgrave Park on Friday night thanks to goals from Matthew Blinkhorn, John Russell and Alan Kirby.
After wins over Salthill and Castlebar Celtic in the build-up to competitive action already, Paul Cook’s team look very impressive two weeks before the competitive action begins with a trip to Derry City on the opening night.
The Bit O’Red were, amazingly, a goal to the good within just 64 seconds as Blinkhorn caught Mark McNulty out with a delicate lob which he caressed into the net from the edge of the area. Indeed, a display of such clinical finishing in pre-season must augur well for what lies-ahead later in the campaign and with Joey N’do also returning from a trip home to Cameroon shortly, Sligo look to be in good stead for a charge at the league.
Nonetheless, Cork also look to be preparing well for their opening First Division tie at home to Finn Harps and they were level with just five minutes on the clock. The early concession did seem to shock the home side into action as Timmy Kiely’s pass fell kindly to Graham Cummins and the striker did what he does best, hammering a low right-footed drive into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.
New Cork signing Vincent Escudé-Candau – who had been on trial with Rovers last month – was doing well working off of Cummins, and the attacking midfielder was unlucky not to get on the end of a cross from the right after a rapid burst into the area inside the opening ten minutes.
The game did settle down at that point, though the slick top surface did cause a few problems with players on both sides regularly losing their footing. It made the tie all that more interesting in a sense, with some quick passing football evident at either end.
After last Sunday’s Munster Senior Cup victory over Waterford United, Cork stuck with the impressive pairing of Gearoid Morrissey and Shane Duggan in midfield, and the former was unlucky when his 25 yard drive slid narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
It made for an intriguing battle with the tentative Sligo duo of Richie Ryan and Russell in the centre and the game was a bit closer to competitive action in comparison to earlier friendlies. Still, the tempo did die down progressively as the minutes ticked past as a flurry of second-half substitutes killed any sense of continuity,
Escudé-Candau did have a header palmed away by Brendan Clarke 90 seconds after the restart, while John Dillon almost pulled off an incredible finish with a stinging volley with his right-boot a minute later, which McNulty palmed over the bar.
Cretaro flashed a header just over the bar in the 57th minute but the Bit O’ Red were back in the ascendancy four minutes later as Russell slipped the ball into the top left corner after Kirby set him up with his first touch after coming off the bench.
It could easily have been 3-1 just a minute later as Dillon squared to the unmarked Blinkhorn who blasted miles over despite having acres of space, it was clear however that Rovers were well on top as their Premier Division experience was clear in the latter stages.
Cork were devoid of attacking ideas after a flurry of substitutions and Sligo guaranteed the win nine minutes from the end when Kirby drove the ball low into the net from just inside the box.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Kalen Spillane, Gavin Kavanagh, Danny Murphy; Davin O’Neill, Shane Duggan, Gearoid Morrissey, Timmy Kiely; Vincent Escudé-Candau; Graham Cummins.
Subs: Vinny Sullivan (O’Neill, ht), Rory Morrissey, Alan Carey (Murphy, ht), Jean Biansumba (Kiely, ht), Greg O’Halloran (Spillane, 61mins), Ian Turner (Kavanagh, 73mins), Jamie Murphy (Escudé-Candau, 78mins), Kieran Keneally, Rory Morrissey, Simon Holland, James McCarthy, Peter Krzanowski.
Sligo Rovers: Brendan Clarke; Danny Ventre, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Iarfhlaith Davoren; John Dillon, Richie Ryan, John Russell, Eoin Doyle; Raffaele Cretaro, Matthew Blinkhorn.
Subs: Alan Kirby (Cretaro, 61mins), Aaron Greene (Blinkhorn, 63mins), Daryl Horgan (Dillon, 68mins), Mark McGoldrick (Russell, 73mins), Ciaran Kelly (Clarke, 80mins), Gavin Snodgrass.
Referee: G Kelly.
After wins over Salthill and Castlebar Celtic in the build-up to competitive action already, Paul Cook’s team look very impressive two weeks before the competitive action begins with a trip to Derry City on the opening night.
The Bit O’Red were, amazingly, a goal to the good within just 64 seconds as Blinkhorn caught Mark McNulty out with a delicate lob which he caressed into the net from the edge of the area. Indeed, a display of such clinical finishing in pre-season must augur well for what lies-ahead later in the campaign and with Joey N’do also returning from a trip home to Cameroon shortly, Sligo look to be in good stead for a charge at the league.
Nonetheless, Cork also look to be preparing well for their opening First Division tie at home to Finn Harps and they were level with just five minutes on the clock. The early concession did seem to shock the home side into action as Timmy Kiely’s pass fell kindly to Graham Cummins and the striker did what he does best, hammering a low right-footed drive into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.
New Cork signing Vincent Escudé-Candau – who had been on trial with Rovers last month – was doing well working off of Cummins, and the attacking midfielder was unlucky not to get on the end of a cross from the right after a rapid burst into the area inside the opening ten minutes.
The game did settle down at that point, though the slick top surface did cause a few problems with players on both sides regularly losing their footing. It made the tie all that more interesting in a sense, with some quick passing football evident at either end.
After last Sunday’s Munster Senior Cup victory over Waterford United, Cork stuck with the impressive pairing of Gearoid Morrissey and Shane Duggan in midfield, and the former was unlucky when his 25 yard drive slid narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
It made for an intriguing battle with the tentative Sligo duo of Richie Ryan and Russell in the centre and the game was a bit closer to competitive action in comparison to earlier friendlies. Still, the tempo did die down progressively as the minutes ticked past as a flurry of second-half substitutes killed any sense of continuity,
Escudé-Candau did have a header palmed away by Brendan Clarke 90 seconds after the restart, while John Dillon almost pulled off an incredible finish with a stinging volley with his right-boot a minute later, which McNulty palmed over the bar.
Cretaro flashed a header just over the bar in the 57th minute but the Bit O’ Red were back in the ascendancy four minutes later as Russell slipped the ball into the top left corner after Kirby set him up with his first touch after coming off the bench.
It could easily have been 3-1 just a minute later as Dillon squared to the unmarked Blinkhorn who blasted miles over despite having acres of space, it was clear however that Rovers were well on top as their Premier Division experience was clear in the latter stages.
Cork were devoid of attacking ideas after a flurry of substitutions and Sligo guaranteed the win nine minutes from the end when Kirby drove the ball low into the net from just inside the box.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Kalen Spillane, Gavin Kavanagh, Danny Murphy; Davin O’Neill, Shane Duggan, Gearoid Morrissey, Timmy Kiely; Vincent Escudé-Candau; Graham Cummins.
Subs: Vinny Sullivan (O’Neill, ht), Rory Morrissey, Alan Carey (Murphy, ht), Jean Biansumba (Kiely, ht), Greg O’Halloran (Spillane, 61mins), Ian Turner (Kavanagh, 73mins), Jamie Murphy (Escudé-Candau, 78mins), Kieran Keneally, Rory Morrissey, Simon Holland, James McCarthy, Peter Krzanowski.
Sligo Rovers: Brendan Clarke; Danny Ventre, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Iarfhlaith Davoren; John Dillon, Richie Ryan, John Russell, Eoin Doyle; Raffaele Cretaro, Matthew Blinkhorn.
Subs: Alan Kirby (Cretaro, 61mins), Aaron Greene (Blinkhorn, 63mins), Daryl Horgan (Dillon, 68mins), Mark McGoldrick (Russell, 73mins), Ciaran Kelly (Clarke, 80mins), Gavin Snodgrass.
Referee: G Kelly.
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile