Cork City ensured they will have a fighting chance at a play-off spot tonight after picking up all three points against Longford Town.
Once again it was the league’s leading goalscorer Graham Cummins who scored the only goal of the game. The Leesiders are now fifth, five points off third placed Waterford United. Tommy Dunne kept faith with the same starting eleven that beat Limerick.
The vital goal arrived after just six minutes, Cummins and Gareth Cambridge continuing their excellent partnership. Cambridge slipped the ball through to his strike-mate and the number 9 made no mistake and finished well at the near post. Ten minutes later, the away side were given a glorious chance to equalise.
Lee Roche was taken down in the box by Ian Turner and the referee pointed to the spot. Roche himself stepped up to take the penalty, but Mark McNulty was not to be beaten and saved brilliantly to keep his side in the lead.
Cummins had a great chance to double the advantage before the break. He latched onto a tame back-pass and managed to get a shot away but it rolled just wide of the post. McNulty saved well from Thomas Hyland’s effort as City went in one nil up at the interval.
After the restart, Shane Barrett had the ball in the net but it was ruled out due to an innocuous foul by Cambridge in the build-up. Cambridge himself tried his luck shortly after but his left-footed shot didn’t trouble Stephen Conlon. Victor Ekanem was close to putting the ball into his own net which was City’s best chance for the remainder of the game.
In the closing stages, both Lee Roche and substitute George O’Callaghan went off with injury, as City held on for the 6 minutes of additional time that was played.
Cork City
Starting Line-Up: McNulty, Turner, O’Halloran, Kavanagh, Woods, O’Neill, Lordan, Morrissey, Barrett, Cambridge, Cummins.
Substutions: O’Callaghan for Cambridge (69mins), Duggan for Barrett (84mins). Subs not used: Deasy, Piechnik, Lougheed.
Longford Town
Starting Line-Up: Conlon, Deans, Cronin, Hyland, Byrne, Lester, Brady, Ekanem, Cohen, Roche, Lee.
Substitution: Walsh for Byrne (46mins), Oladele for Lee (70mins), Hynes for Roche (75mins). Subs not used: Mooney, Freeman.
Referee: S. Grant.
Official Attendance: 1,398.
Photos: Click Here.
