Cork City 3 - 1 Longford Town

Cork City managed a somewhat laboured 3-1 win over Longford Town at Turner’s Cross on Friday night to ensure that their title ambitions will survive until the last day.

The game started brightly with both sides pushing forwards in the early moments, Thomas Crawley crossing dangerously for Longford in the opening minute and Keith Gillespie whipping a free kick through the Cork penalty area that just eluded Thomas Hyland at the far post.

Cork also created an opening when Davin O’Neill floated in a superb cross that Vinny Sullivan could only head straight at Paul Hunt from six yards.
 

All that occurred before Longford took the lead on six minutes when Mark Salmon ran through a static City defence onto Austin Skelly’s ball and finished low past Mark McNulty in the City goal.

But Cork reacted well to the blow, creating numerous chances before pulling level in the 26th minute. Vinny Sullivan didn’t quite connect with a cross from the right by Daryl Horgan and Kalen Spillane arrived late at the back post to power a Gearoid Morrissey free kick narrowly over. 

On 13 minutes O’Neill chipped a delightful ball through for Cummins but the striker’s first touch was heavy and Hunt came out to clear. City might then have levelled in the 22nd minute when a ball from Daryl Horgan pinged off a Longford defender and into the arms of Hunt, but four minutes later they finally broke through.

Graham Cummins carved out the opening down the inside left channel, sending a low ball into Sullivan, but while Hunt parried his effort the rebound fell to Davin O’Neill who slid in the equaliser from eight yards.

Sullivan might have added a second for Cork just after the half hour mark when his flick from a Neal Horgan cross slipped just inches wide of the Longford goal and Cummins shot wastefully wide on 37 minutes before sending a looping header just over two minutes later.

Longford might have earned an unlikely lead on the stroke of half time when Austin Skelly robbed a spillage from keeper McNulty but Keith Gillespie’s header from the edge of the box was headed away from the goal-line.

By the time Cork took the lead five minutes after the re-start they had already spurned two decent chances, but Daryl Horgan made no mistake when Cummins played a ball into the wingers path some twenty-five yards from goal and he calmly lobbed Paul Hunt, dropping his effort delicately into the far corner of the net.

Thereafter Cork somewhat lost their mojo, continuing to dominate but going through a lengthy phase when passes went astray and their overall sense of purpose seemed to fade. Longford were hardly in a position to take advantage, a series of corners resulting in little more than a header from James O’Brien that crept wide of the Cork goal.

Finally the home side created an opening down the left that yielded a third goal. With just five minutes remaining substitute Derek O’Brien carved his way into the box before Longford sub, Craig Walsh, took him down, allowing Graham Cummins to step up and rifle the spot kick down the middle and into the net.

Longford did have the ball in the home net in the 89th minute, Daniel Purdy tucking a shot under McNulty after the Cork defence had been split by a through ball, but the linesman’s flag ensured that there would be no late scare. So Cork march on to face Shelbourne next weekend in what looks like being a decider, if not for the title, then at least for the allocation of promotion spots.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Greg O’Halloran, Kalen Spillane, Gavin Kavanagh, Neal Horgan; Daryl Horgan (Ian Turner, 92), Gearoid Morrissey, Shane Duggan, Davin O’Neill (Derek O’Brien, 37); Graham Cummins, Vinny Sullivan (Cathal Lordan, 89).

Subs not used: James McCarthy, Jason Forde, Vincent Escude-Candau, Jamie Murphy.
Bookings: Duggan (29).
 

Longford Town: Paul Hunt; Graham Dowling, Chris Deans, Thomas Hyland, Gary Cronin; Jacques Morley (Craig Walsh, 21), Mark Salmon, James O’Brien (Sean Skelly, 57), Keith Gillespie (Daniel Purdy, 77), Thomas Crawley; Austin Skelly.
Subs not used: Alvin Rouse, Jean Biansumba, Darragh Satelle, Alan McGreal.
Bookings: None.
 

Referee: James McKell.
Attendance: 3,433.
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Neal Horgan