Joy for Dunne as Cork score five

Tommy Dunne was delighted with his teams performance at Turner’s Cross on Friday night when Cork City dispatched the challenge of Finn Harps with some style. Running out 5-0 winners the Leesiders brought a degree of penetration to their play that may have been lacking in previous performances.

“I thought some of the goals we scored and some of the play was good”, said Dunne when he met the press after the game. “Looking at the match, if you’re being honest about it, I thought it was a little bit scrappy at times. Finn Harps are a strong outfit and we knew it was going to be a difficult game tonight and we didn’t think we’d be picking up five goals and winning out 5-0.

“I thought at times when we were attacking we looked very good, very strong, with powerful running from players like Davin O’Neill and Graham Cummins and we had Gearoid Morrissey and Shane Duggan from the middle. It’s still early days, we’ve won five nil but next week we go to Salthill and we have to pick up three points again. But overall it’s been a happy evening for us.”

And Dunne was happy to acknowledge that, while results have been respectable for the Leesiders this season, the team’s performances haven’t always led to due reward for their territorial dominance.

“We knew even in the early games that we weren’t right. We were creating chances and we knew if we could just start finishing a few we could give someone a good hiding, you know. Out of the seven games we’ve played, I’d say we’ve dominated six of them so we’re happy enough with the return there [but] we probably would have wanted to have a couple more points on the board. We’re still really only settling in and it’ll be mid July before you see where everybody is at.”

Asked about the sometimes inspired passing of young Gearoid Morrissey Dunne admitted that that aspect of his side’s play was a step in the right direction. “Yeah, that was something that we’ve looked at over the last couple of games. We’ve got into good areas and we’ve sort of panicked if you like, just wanting to hit it. But we’ve been saying when we get into those areas, maybe look for the extra pass that will get us in, and we did that [tonight]. The fourth goal was a very good goal, a good move. I know Davin’s goal, the third, was a good goal, but the move for the fourth was really good.”

“We have creative players, who can feed the ball and we have the powerful runners to go with it. So we’re shaping up okay, there’s still a bit to do, I thought we could have kept the ball a bit better when we were three up. I thought we should have been passing the ball that bit better and creating more angles and stuff like that, but we can have a look and see can we improve.”

In terms of the maturity of Cork’s play against a Finn Harps side that did not look nearly as bad as the score-line suggests, Dunne was quick to point out the contribution of some of his younger players.

“I thought Kalen Spillane was good again tonight, and Gearoid Morrissey. They’re only fledglings in the league, you know. You’re looking at them and you’re saying to yourself, it might all take its toll after a period of time, but it doesn’t look that way at the moment. Every one of them is enjoying themselves, the training ground is a happy camp and fellas are working hard. I think the stability in the club just breeds consistency and comfort for fellas to go and do their job, for me, for everybody. So from that side of things I think we are progressing as well.”

The City boss also had words of praise for hat-trick hero Graham Cummins. It was a night when the striker looked at his best, sharp and energetic off the ball and ruthlessly efficient in front of goal. “His work-rate is always phenomenal for the team”, said Dunne who saw similar qualities throughout the team. “Even when Greg got injured and we put Vincent (Escude-Candau) in as a sort of forward midfielder, he’s chasing across the pitch and you can’t buy that. Then he holds the ball up and he scored a goal, so all round it’s fantastic.

“I thought Gavin Kavanagh at the back was physically powerful, our two full backs were quick and they’re experienced and strong so we’re shaping up. Duggy seems to be strong in the centre of the park as well and there’s a bit of competition for places which we didn’t have last year, and you have to have it. And you can see that people, if they’re not in the team, then they have to work harder, and the ones that are in there have to be on top of their game all the time.”