Dunne happy with last minute draw
Credit:
Cork City’s unbeaten record was saved by a last-minute equaliser from debutant Jamie Murphy, as the Leesiders shared the spoils with Longford Town on Friday night. With a top of the table clash against Shelbourne this week, City boss Tommy Dunne was satisfied to get a draw considering the circumstances.
“Longford started the game very well, but we looked a bit lethargic at the start. When we got into the half their ‘keeper pulled off some great saves. I felt we could have been 1-1 or even 2-1 ahead at the break and overall I felt we possibly should have won the game on the share of possession and chances,” Dunne said.
“We said after the game that that could be a good point for us, because over the season we’re going to get games where it’ll be difficult. In fairness to Longford they defended well. They’re a strong outfit and they also lost Don Cowan before the game. Overall considering the game as a whole, we could have won but I’m happy with the point.
“They pressed us well, they pressed us in the first half and in the second half. They didn’t give us much room to play. We had to go that little bit longer and we had good area of play. It was just to get that final touch at times during the second half because there were some good crosses going in.”
Dunne wasn’t too happy with the performance of referee Phil Caschera, after he refused to award the home team what appeared to be a definite penalty when Gearoid Morrissey was hacked down inside the area. Nonetheless, Caschera also left Ian Turner off when the City defender was last-man and could have easily seen red for a challenge on Austin Skelly.
“I don’t like getting involved and saying things but surely it was a stonewall penalty?” the City boss asked. “You can also say that at the other end they had a player clean through and Ian Turner pulls him back. Its swings and roundabouts, but it was a certain penalty and it would have given us more time to seek the winner.”
Murphy, 20, was only on the field two minutes before finishing off Gavin Kavanagh’s long-ball forward and Dunne was pleased with how the equaliser was finished off by the former Cobh Ramblers player.
“First off I thought it was a great ball from Gavin Kavanagh and Jamie justified his existence now because he hasn’t played before now. He seems to be that type of striker though, he got in there and finished it well.”
“Longford started the game very well, but we looked a bit lethargic at the start. When we got into the half their ‘keeper pulled off some great saves. I felt we could have been 1-1 or even 2-1 ahead at the break and overall I felt we possibly should have won the game on the share of possession and chances,” Dunne said.
“We said after the game that that could be a good point for us, because over the season we’re going to get games where it’ll be difficult. In fairness to Longford they defended well. They’re a strong outfit and they also lost Don Cowan before the game. Overall considering the game as a whole, we could have won but I’m happy with the point.
“They pressed us well, they pressed us in the first half and in the second half. They didn’t give us much room to play. We had to go that little bit longer and we had good area of play. It was just to get that final touch at times during the second half because there were some good crosses going in.”
Dunne wasn’t too happy with the performance of referee Phil Caschera, after he refused to award the home team what appeared to be a definite penalty when Gearoid Morrissey was hacked down inside the area. Nonetheless, Caschera also left Ian Turner off when the City defender was last-man and could have easily seen red for a challenge on Austin Skelly.
“I don’t like getting involved and saying things but surely it was a stonewall penalty?” the City boss asked. “You can also say that at the other end they had a player clean through and Ian Turner pulls him back. Its swings and roundabouts, but it was a certain penalty and it would have given us more time to seek the winner.”
Murphy, 20, was only on the field two minutes before finishing off Gavin Kavanagh’s long-ball forward and Dunne was pleased with how the equaliser was finished off by the former Cobh Ramblers player.
“First off I thought it was a great ball from Gavin Kavanagh and Jamie justified his existence now because he hasn’t played before now. He seems to be that type of striker though, he got in there and finished it well.”
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