Cork Ciy 0-2 Watford

Cork City couldn’t do the business against Gianfranco Zola’s Watford at Turner’s Cross last night as the Championship side picked up their pre-season preparations with a 2-0 win thanks to a goal in either half from Joe Garner and Piero Mingoia.

Afterwards the Italian boss was happy with his team's run-out and although he reserved a special mention for Irish U19 international Sean Murray, he was most pleased with the collective performance. 

"There were a lot of encouraging things for us. As we get better physically, the players will be able to do what they want to do. There have been a lot of changes at the club so this will be a transition season for us. So far the players have been excellent and I’m expecting even more," he said.

Though there were 1200 in attendance last night, Cork are hopeful of a sell-out crowd of over 7,000 for the visit of a Manchester United academy side this evening and it is proving to be a very long week for the Leesiders, who drew in the league with current leaders Sligo Rovers on Sunday night and also welcome storied rivals Shelbourne to the Cross on Friday night.

Tommy Dunne put his emphasis on experimentation last night but promises to play his strongest team for the opening half against the United selection tonight. ""We are hoping to put on a show against some very talented young players, many of whom will be the future of their club," the Dubliner said.

But there was little arguing that last night was a decent workout for some of their fringe players, with Dunne trying out a couple of new faces in trialists Harry Crawford and Kelvin Bossman. Both may feature again tonight, although the latter was taken off at the interval after a very ineffective performance.

Crawford showed a bit more promise, threatening with a stinging shot in the 65^th minute of a dour second-half, though Tommy Dunne will have been happy to see new signing Keigan Parker get a run-out along with club captain Dan Murray, who has spent almost three months sidelined with a groin injury.

It was the Hornets’ Irish connection that impressed the most, however – Mark Yeates and hot prospect Murray doing damage on opposite flanks.

U19 international Murray arrived on the scene at Vicrage Road halfway through last season and after a fantastic couple of months towards the tail-end of the campaign, there are big things expected of him this year.

He threatened Cork’s second keeper Kevin Burns on more than one occasion while also playing a crucial part in the build-up play to the opening goal of the evening on 16 minutes when lone-striker Joe Garner struck home.

In a typical friendly, chances were few and far between, while 18 subs in total ruined the second period in terms of fluency.

Crawford did have a couple of half attempts and Stephen Kenny forced Watford keeper Jonathon Bond into a good stop but the Championship team doubled their lead with eight minutes to play when Piero Mingoia blasted home from the edge of the area.

Cork City: Burns; N Horgan (Carroll 66), D Murray (E Murphy 62), K Murray, O’Connor (Forde 75); Bossman (Kenny 46), McCarthy (Lenihan 57), Buckley, Lordan (Browne 75); Crawford, Parker (O’Connell 66).

Sub not used: Mark McNulty.

Watford: Bond; Hodson (Doyley 46), Nosworthy (Forsyth 57), Taylor (Jenkins 57), Pudil (Dickinson 46); Yeates (Bennett 57 (Thompson 67)), Abdi  (Whichelock 64), Eustace (Anya 46), Hogg (Mirfin 57), Murray (Mingoia 64); Garner (Beleck 64).

Sub not used: Manuel Almunia.

Referee: Alan Kelly

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Sean Murray.

Official attendance: 1178.