Cork City took all three points and victory in the first Munster Derby of the season tonight after a 2-1 win over Waterford United.
Tommy Dunne kept faith with the same side that drew with Monaghan last week, but had to withdraw Derek O’Brien early in the game due to injury. Danny Murphy had the first effort on goal after a few minutes, but he sent his free kick over the bar.
Willie John Kiely had a great chance to give the Blues the lead moments later but he blazed over with the goal at his mercy. Mark McNulty then did well to keep out Seamus Long’s header, while Davin O’Neill came close down the other end after he was put through by Vinny Sullivan.
The opener came five minutes before the break. Conor Sinnott was fouled outside the box, and Paul Murphy’s free kick deflected off the wall and into the back of the net. The lead only last until first half stoppage-time, Greg O’Halloran scoring his first of the season. Graham Cummins was the provider, squaring the ball to the City captain and he fired the ball in from the edge of the box.
The home side almost re-took the lead after the restart, Keith Quinn’s strike bouncing back off McNulty’s post, much to the relief of the City shot stopper. McNulty was called into action again getting a hand on Murphy’s lob attempt, as the Leesider’s struggled to keep the scoreline level.
The Rebel Army took the lead fifteen minutes before the end, sending the large travelling crowd into raptures. Davin O’Neill’s trickery saw him cut into the box, his shot was blocked and it fell to O’Halloran. He slipped in Shane Duggan and the Limerick man made no mistake and fired past Kevin Burns.
It was a nervous end to the game for both sides, with City’s back four scrambling to clear any danger, and Waterford’s frontmen getting more edgy in front of goal and couldn’t get that clear sight of goal that they desired. A great night for City as they keep their unbeaten run going, stretching it to six games.
Waterford United
Starting Line-Up: Burns; Coady, Murray, Browne, Long; Quinn, Sinnott, Barrett, Keane; Murphy, Kiely.
Substitutes: Dempsey for Barrett (82mins), Rafter for Keane (82mins). Subs not used: Nolan, Breen, Carey, Chin, Wilson.
Cork City
Starting Line-Up: McNulty; Horgan, Kavanagh, Spillane, Murphy; O’Brien, O’Halloran, Morrissey, Duggan; Cummins, O’Neill.
Substitutes: Sullivan for O’Brien (25mins), Escude-Candau for Morrissey (86mins), Turner, Kiely, Murphy, Holland, Krazanowski.
Referee: Rob Rogers.
Attendance: 752.
