Cork take tumble in Warsaw
CORK City’s Champions League dream died at the Polish Army Stadium last night but they have the consolation prize of being able to look forward to next Monday’s Europa League draw.
As expected, the class of Legia Warsaw proved too much and an opener by Jose Kante meant the first round tie was effectively over before the League of Ireland champions had mustered a chance of note.
A second from the penalty spot, with 17 minutes remaining, by returning captain Miroslav Radovic and a late third from substitute Carlitos were the least Legia deserved on a night in which they were once again dominant in possession.
While they didn’t create much goalmouth action themselves, Cork will regret not making the most of their set-pieces from Barry McNamee and Jimmy Keohane.
On a couple of occasions, free-kick deliveries were pinpoint without team-mates arriving on time to expose a far from perfect Legia backline. Graham Cummins was particularly culpable in not profiting from the space afforded.
Trailing by a one-goal deficit from last week’s first leg at Turners Cross, John Caulfield (right) had pleaded with his team to keep their illustrious opponents at bay for the opening half hour.
They came close to achieving the mission only for a mix-up to unhinge them. After only halfclearing the initial danger, the ball was switched to defender Mateusz Wieteska on the left. His deep cross looked routine for Peter Cherrie to collect but, with defender Shane Griffin in his way, Cafu was first to the loose ball and his cut-back was volleyed in by Guinea international Kante.
The concession seemed to spring City into life as Karl Sheppard, who reached the knockout stages of the Europa League in 2011 with Shamrock Rovers, advanced at pace and arrowed a rising shot that cleared the crossbar. Arkadiusz Malarz in the Legia goal made the brave decision to start in the week his father passed away. Despite looking rather vulnerable from crosses, he wasn’t really tested by City. Captain Miroslav Radovic, having missed last week’s first leg, was at his forceful best in midfield as Legia hit their second as he drew a clumsy foul from his opposite number Conor McCormack. Norwegian referee Kai Erik Steen pointed to the spot and there was little Cherrie could do about the Serbian’s ferocious penalty into the top corner. With tired bodies searching for a consolation, the Rebels were once again unlocked on the break with two minutes left. Legia’s main summer transfer coup was capturing last season’s top scorer Carlitos from Wisla Krakow and he wasted little time on his European debut. The Spaniard was calmness personified in the box by making time and space to rifle in the third from 10 yards. LEGIA WARSAW: Malarz; Astiz, Remy, Wieteska (Phillipps 69); Vesovic, Cafu, Maczynski, Radovic, Kucharczyk (Hlousek 46); Kante (Carlitos 65), Nagy. Scorers: Kante 26, Radovic 73 (pen), Carlitos 88 CORK CITY: Cherrie; Beattie (Kane 79), Delaney, McLoughlin, Griffin; McCormack, Buckley (O’Hanlon 80); Sheppard, Keohane, McNamee (Sadlier 79), Cummins. Referee: KE Steen (NOR).