- Simon O'Gorman
- Sat, May 17 2014
A penalty from Billy Dennehy and a cracking strike from Gearoid Morrissey decided this game in favour of Cork City, with Peter Hutton suffering defeat in his first game as Derry City manager.
After an uneventful opening period the game came to life in the 14th minute when Shane McEleney, jumping for a high ball inside his own box with Billy Dennehy, sent the winger tumbling, and referee Rob Rogers immediately called the foul and pointed to the spot. Dennehy took it himself, low and to the left, to give the home side the lead.
Barely had the dust settled when City went two up. Barry Molloy fouled Billy Dennehy out on the left and Colin Healy’s swinging free kick was only partially cleared by Ryan McBride. The ball fell to Gearoid Morrissey 25 yards out and the City midfielder took a touch before powering a perfectly judged low shot in off the left hand post.
What had been an even game until the first goal was now firmly in the hands John Caulfield’s side and the differing fortunes of the two teams was perfectly illustrated after 25 minutes. Pat McEleney’s free kick found Aaron Barry unmarked just eight yards from goal, but the Derry full back’s header went woefully awry and the home goal remained unbreached.
With Cork now running the game it looked like they had a third on 37 minutes when Iarfhlaith Davoren’s spinning cross found the head of Mark O’Sullivan. His looping header was dipping just under the bar until Doherty, at full stretch, touched it onto the goal frame. Dan Murray was first to the rebound but his diving header was ruled out by an off-side flag.
Derry started the second half brightly but it was Cork who almost extended their lead on 49 minutes. Brian Lenihan, who was excellent down the right for the home side, clipped in a cross that Kearney flicked on and O’Sullivan did well to get a header on target from beyond the back post. Sadly for him, and for the second time in the game, his effort bounced back off the bar.
But Derry’s efforts soon began to threaten Cork’s dominance. In quick succession Ryan Curran won the game’s first corner with a shot deflected behind by Dunleavy; Pat McEleney wriggled past two defenders before just failing to clear McNulty with a deft chip; and then Ryan Curran walloped a spectacular volley off the underside of the Cork bar.
With an hour played Derry changed their shape, pushing Ryan Curran up front alongside Pat McEleney in an effort to wrest something positive from the evening. But the window of opportunity was closing for the Candystripes and they had seen the last of any clear cut chances.
Gradually Cork reasserted themselves and finished out the game in relative comfort, putting an end to a run of three winless games in the league and leaving Derry to consider that a change of manager alone cannot cure all ills.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; John Dunleavy, Dan Murray, Darren Dennehy, Iarfhlaith Davoren; Brian Lenihan, Gearoid Morrissey, Colin Healy, Billy Dennehy; Liam Kearney (Garry Buckley 79); Mark O’Sullivan.
Subs not used: Matt Gledhill (gk), Ian Turner, John Kavanagh, Andy O’Connell, David O’Leary, Rob Lehane.
Booked: Buckley (89).
Derry City: Ger Doherty; Shane McEleney (Tony McNamee 80), Cliff Byrne, Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry; Ryan Curran (Nathan Boyle 74), Barry Molloy, Danny Ventre, Barry McNamee, Michael Duffy; Pat McEleney.
Subs not used: Ciaran Gallagher (gk), Roddy Collins Jnr, Dean Jarvis, Cormac Burke, Mark Stewart.
Booked: Ventre (56), Barry (60).
Referee: Robert Rogers
Attendance: 2,907
Extratime Man of the Match: Gearoid Morrissey (Cork City)
