Cork City 5 - 2 Finn Harps

Cork City’s march towards the top flight continued in solid, but not exactly spectacular fashion in defence, after a 5-2 win over Finn Harps at Turner’s Cross on Friday night.

Next Tuesday’s game against Monaghan United is still a must-win if they’re to go up but there’ll need to be improvements made at the back after lowly Harps were gifted two goals in the opening half.

Harps only had a squad of 14 make the long journey south and with Cork as unbackable 2/9 favourites with the bookies, it looked prior to kick-off like this would be plain-sailing.

However, a combination of tricky conditions on a soaking top surface, with a little bit of slack defending meant for long spells it wasn’t that comfortable for the home team and, in truth it wasn’t until Graham Cummins his first scored with 12 minutes to play that the points were guaranteed.

City started off on the offensive from the opening kick of the game, Cummins’ header hitting the upright from Derek O’Brien’s cross in the seventh minute, and there were strong claims for a penalty turned down by referee Sean Grant on 12 as Marc Brolly looked to have handled inside the area after attempts from O’Brien and Morrissey resulted in a trio of corners on the bounce.

Still, the conditions made things interesting and at the other end Mark McNulty slipped up under little pressure but as the ball trickled towards goal, Gavin Kavanagh coolly swept up any bit of danger.

The opener duly arrived midway through the opening period, albeit in controversial circumstances. Graham Cummins flew down the left and his low-driven shot had beaten Gallagher and was on the way into the net, but for some peculiar reason, Davin O’Neill, in a slightly offside position, decided to add the final touch.

Harps, rightly, were furious but despite lengthy protests, referee Grant let the goal stand while also booking Gallagher as he continued to complain about the decision.

Nonetheless, the Ballybofey club were back on level terms just before the half hour mark as former City player Conor O’Grady caught the defence dozing. Blaine Curtis ran onto his ball, rounded McNulty who fell to the ground, before tapping into the empty net.

That came against the run of play but disappointingly for Peter Hutton’s men, they fell behind again two minutes later. O’Grady went from hero to zero after he chopped down Shane Duggan on the edge of the area needlessly, leaving the home team with a perfectly placed free kick on the edge of the area.

Kalen Spillane confidently strode up from defence to take it and his rocket hammered into the top left corner, a brilliant way to get off the mark for the Carrigaline man.

Harps hopes were dashed further ten minutes before the interval as the unstoppable, yet unselfish, Cummins made another driving run down the left before crossing to Vinny Sullivan, on for the injured O’Neill, whose smooth flick on to Daryl Horgan enabled the young winger to slot into the empty net.

But the mad opening period continued when the away side pulled one back in the 39^th minute. Brolly’s cross wasn’t dealt with by the Cork defence and Curtis was on hand to bundle in his second from two yards, making it 3-2 at the interval.

A moment of madness from Harps forward Stephen O’Donnell five minutes into the second half saw his side reduced to ten men as he chopped down Derek O’Brien, who was then stretchered off, with Neal Horgan coming on to replace him, leaving Hutton furious again and he even encroached onto the pitch while protesting with the referee.

That incident killed a lot of the pace in the game, and with very few chances at either end, the second period was such a contrast to the entertainment of a kamikaze first half. Cummins did have a half-chance on 66 minutes when turning to shoot straight at Gallagher, but it was quite evident that the home team were content to hold onto their narrow lead.

Dangerous business to do something like that, or so you’d think, but Harps never looked like threatening when down to ten, despite one or two unsure moments from McNulty at the back, and the points were wrapped up on 78 as Cummins deservedly got another goal to add to his bulging tally this season, chipping over the stranded Gallagher.

Things went from bad to worse for Harps soon after as Keith Cowan picked up a second yellow card and the final ten minutes were played out in the Donegal side’s half, a Cummins headed on 85 minutes giving them a comfortable buffer.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Ian Turner, Gavin Kavanagh, Kalen Spillane, Danny Murphy; Daryl Horgan, Gearóid Morrissey, Shane Duggan, Derek O’Brien (Neal Horgan, 53mins, inj); Graham Cummins (Vincent Escudé-Candau, 86mins), Davin O’Neill (Vinny Sullivan, 28mins, inj).

Subs not used: James McCarthy, Danny Morrissey, Jamie Murphy, Cathal Lordan.

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Aaron O’Hagan, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Coll; Kevin Devanny (Mark Forker, 76mins) , Conor O’Grady (Barry O’Mahoney, 70mins), Gary Curran, Marc Brolly; Blaine Curtis, Stephen O’Donnell.

Subs not used: Thomas Bonner.

Referee: Sean Grant.

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Graham Cummins – scored two but also set up two as well.

Official Attendance: 1595.