It was a “Good Friday” for Cork City Football Club as they picked up another vital win over Limerick at Jackman Park yesterday afternoon.
Tommy Dunne made one change from the side that defeated Mervue United, Cathal Lordan being replaced with Willie Heffernan.
The home side’s back four looked shaky in the opening stages of the game, with a handful of moments of confusion leading to scrambled clearances, City failing to take advantage. Shane Duggan did come close, Uros Hojan providing the cross but the Limerick native could only shoot wide. Heffernan almost got on the end of another poor clearance by Limerick but he was crowded out in the box and couldn’t get a shot away.
The opening goal came after the half hour mark. Duggan provided the pin-point cross, and last year’s First Division second top scorer Graham Cummins rose highest and powered home his header past David Ryan.
Uros Hojan was the victim of a strong tackle by Thomas Lyons who earned a yellow card for the lunge. Hojan had to receive treatment and was soon substituted after the interval.
Paul Deasy replaced the injured Slovenian, and almost immediately made an impact. The Mahon native whipped in an excellent cross from a free kick and it was met firmly by Cummins who nodded home his second of the game.
Limerick looked unlikely to pull one back, but former Cork City FC player John Tierney could have done better when he had a clear sight of goal but he shot well over the bar.
Another free-kick delivered by Deasy led to City’s third goal. Deasy’s first free-kick went straight into the hands of Ryan, but referee Conor Fitzgerald forced him to take it again as he had not waited for the referee’s whistle. The second time proved a charm, Deasy finding Davin O’Neill at the back post and he volleyed home a looping right footed shot that nestled in the corner of the net.
Limerick did pull one back, but it was all to late to mount a serious comeback. Gavin Roche’s cross was met by Robbie Kelliher who was unmarked in the box, but City held on comfortably for their first away win of the season.
Limerick
Scorer: Kelleher (80mins).
Starting Line-Up: Ryan, Hughes, Boyle, White, Kelly, Hickey, Judge, Lyons, Tracey, Tierney, Clarke.
Substitutions: Kavanagh for Hickey (51mins), Roche for Lyons (63mins), Kelleher for Clarke (77mins).
Cork City Football Club
Scorers: Cummins (35mins, 59mins), O’Neill (67mins).
Starting Line-Up: McNulty, Rogers, Mulcahy, O’Halloran, O’Neill, Cummins, Duggan, Cillian Lordan, Hojan, Forde, Heffernan.
Substitutions: Turner for Mulcahy (26mins), Deasy for Hojan (47mins). Subs not used: Dineen, Devine, R.Morrissey.
Referee: Conor Fitzgerald.
Attendance: 1,470.
Photos: Click Here.
