- Philip Morrissey
- Fri, Jun 14 2024
It was a convincing win for the leaders as they took apart neighbours Cobh at Turners Cross tonight.
First half goals from Cian Coleman and Darragh Crowley put them on their way before later efforts from Jack Doherty and Cian Murphy. They also managed to hit the woodwork on three occasions.
It was a poor display from the visitors who had only lost once in six names. They were on the back foot from the start and chasing shadows for much of the game. Even a late goal from Nolan Evers proved to be a mere consolation.
Both managers made just the one change. Cian Murphy returned to lead the attack for the home side. He replaced Harvey Skieters. Cobh welcomed back Brendéan Frahill into the defence. Nolan Evers dropped to the bench.
Cork City sought to exploit their advantage in terms of height and space afforded to them from the beginning. The away side were nominally set up to play 4-4-2, but often were set up with just one up front.
They were pinned back into their own half and generally sought to make it difficult for their hosts. A rare chance to break out led by Tiernan O’ Brien resulted in a corner but little more than that.
It was all at the other end though. Cian Murphy played it into Jack Doherty who feinted it into the path of Conor Drinan. He shot from a tight angle that Darragh Burke was forced to tip past the post.
It was a brief escape though as City went ahead from the resulting corner. Evan McLaughlin swung it over and Cian Coleman got ahead of his marker to head home for his fourth goal of the season.
The movement up front was causing endless problems for Cobh, and they almost went further behind. Greg Bolger curled a lovely ball into the area that was met with a flicked header. It clipped the post and was cleared away. Drinan then failed to make proper connection after a header back into his path.
The woodwork was tested yet again with a delightful move. Murphy’s cross was half-cleared towards Bolger who attempted a shot from outside the area. It went straight to Doherty who flicked it, and scissor kicked it goalwards. It had the beating of Burke, but it smacked the bar instead.
A second was not long in coming though and again it was from a corner. Coleman had his initial effort blocked but it fell to Darragh Crowley who lashed home a volley. Murray then had an effort that went just past the post as Cobh were hanging on.
There was a certain amount of needle to the game after the break as Cobh sought to disrupt the momentum. A couple of challenges went in on the edge to anger Bolger and Bargary. The former almost had his revenge as a floated cross hit the crossbar for the third time.
City did not have long to wait for their third. Bolger played a ball over the head of the full back and into the path of Bargary. He played a first-time cross into the area where Doherty had evaded his marker to head home. Bargary almost created a goal for Murphy who was unable to make contact to his ball around the corner.
A flurry of subs arrived, and Cobh managed to get a goal back. Nolan Evers glancing home from a corner.
There was to be no comeback though as subs Harry Nevin and Malik Dijksteel created a tap-in for Murphy.
A third win in the Cork derby so far as they now go 11 points clear ahead of the break. When City return from the mid-term break, they take on Bray Wanderers here on 28th of June. Cobh take on UCD at St. Coleman’s Park on the same evening.
Cork City: Bradley Wade; Cian Coleman, Darragh Crowley (Harry Nevin 57), Charlie Lyons, Evan McLaughlin; Greg Bolger (Barry Coffey 65), Jack Doherty, Sean Murray (Arran Healy 73); Cian Bargary (Josh Fitzpatrick 73), Conor Drinan (Malik Dijksteel 57), Cian Murphy.
Subs not used: Aidan Dowling, John O'Donovan, Oran Crowe, Harvey Skieters.
Booked: Cian Bargary (54).
Cobh Ramblers: Darragh Burke; Justin Eguaibor, Breandán Frahill, Luka Le Bervet Bardsley (David Eguaibor 85); Jason Abbott, David Bošnjak, Dale Holland (Nolan Evers 46), Liam Kervick (Alessandro DeSanctis 85), Dean Larkin, Tiernan O'Brien (Evan Deasy 85); Jack Larkin.
Subs not used: Cathal O'Hanlon, Shane O'Neill, Glenn Towler.
Booked: David Bošnjak (48), Nolan Evers (58).
Referee: Daniel Murphy
Attendance: TBC.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Jack Doherty (Cork City).
