Cork City came out worthy winners against Salthill Devon after a 1-0 victory tonight at Turner’s Cross.
Shane Duggan’s 15 yard strike was enough to give City all three points on the road to promotion. Salthill made it difficult for City on occasions, with the Leesider’s found lacking in front of goal for the majority of the game.
Tommy Dunne’s men incredibly had seventeen corners to Salthill’s one, a statistic which highlight’s City’s dominance of the game. Newcomer Daryl Horgan was handed a starting place on the right wing, leaving Derek O’Brien on the bench.
The home side should have taken the lead inside the opening minute. Davin O’Neill jinked his way past Salthill’s motionless defence, his from 5 yards out he could only curl his shot onto the upright. O’Neill again test Ronan Forde minutes later, but his shot was parried away. Shane Duggan hit the rebound agonisingly wide.
Graham Cummins and Vinny Sullivan both had headers off target from good positions, with the former blazing a shot well over the bar at the half hour mark. As time went on it looked as it if was going to be “one of those nights” for the Rebel Army. Salthill provided very little attacking threat in the opening forty-five.
After the break it was more of the same, with City dominating possession and peppering Salthill’s goal. Cummins headed off target again shortly after the restart, but the goal eventually arrived midway through the half. Shaane Duggan latched onto a loose ball from 25 yards out, he charged through on goal and his shot bobbled and bounced into the bottom right hand corner, much to the relief of the 1,700-plus City fans in attendance.
The Galway side did have one chance near the end when McNulty was caught off his line but Conlon’s attempted chip went well off target and the chance went a begging. City played out the rest of the game at a comfortable pace and took all three points from this potential banana-slip fixture.
Cork City
Starting Line-Up: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Greg O’Halloran, Kalen Spillane, Danny Murphy; Daryl Horgan, Shane Duggan, Gearóid Morrissey, Davin O’Neill; Vinny Sullivan, Graham Cummins.
Substitutions: Derek O’Brien for D.Horgan (64mins), Danny Morrissey for Sullivan (75mins), Vincent Escudé-Candau for Duggan (82mins). Subs not used: Ian Turner, Craig Burns, James McCarthy, Jamie Murphy.
Salthill Devon
Starting Line-Up: Ronan Forde; Colm Horgan, Brian Geraghty, Paddy Quinlan, Gearóid O’Leidhin; Paul Smyth, Eugene Greaney, Shane Browne, Ronan Conlon, Emmet Shaw; Victor Collins.
Substitutions: Niall Brennan for Collins (64mins), Luke McConnell for Browne (71mins), Gerry Dolan for Smyth (70mins). Subs not used: Charlie Burke, Paul Convey, Timmy Molloy, Etanda Mkololo.
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).
Official Attendance: 1707.
