CORK POINT THE WAY TO THE TOP
GRAHAM CUMMINS fired Cork City back to the top of the Premier Division last night and continued Waterford’s untimely slump after a cracking, hard-fought game at the RSC.
Despite Noel Hunt bagging his first goal of the season on 31 minutes, Garry Buckley’s equaliser after just 74 seconds revived the champions who had Cummins’ 13th goal of the season eight minutes into the second half to thank for sealing the win.
Waterford came into the game on their worst run of the season, two defeats following a draw, and Alan Reynolds didn’t hold back as top scorer Courtney Duffus was dropped.
The English-born striker, whose loan spell from Oldham Athletic was extended last month, hasn’t added to his 10 goals since his stay was prolonged.
Cork were able to recall goalkeeper Mark McNulty after an ankle injury sidelined him for the last four games, including the Champions League fixtures with Legia Warsaw.
Just eight minutes in and the veteran was called upon in the first chance of the game.
Although Gavan Holohan was floored on the hallway line, referee Neil Doyle allowed Waterford the advantage and Izzy Akinade hared clear on goal to try his luck from an acute angle. McNulty got down to block the effort with his legs.
Two minutes later and his opposite number, Matt Connor, produced a similar save. The alert Karl Sheppard was swift to latch onto Rory Feely’s underhit backpass only for his shot to be denied by the goalkeeper’s feet.
It was a signal of the contest opening up and Holohan should have profited from the space on 18 minutes. When Stanley Aborah’s crossfield pass was cushioned down by Dylan Barnett into the path of the Kilkenny native, his side-footed shot from 10 yards was tame enough for McNulty to bat it away.
The Cork goalkeeper wasn’t so assured for the breakthrough goal. Hunt still had work to do after he unlocked Cork’s offside trap, collecting Feely’s ball on the left and cutting in. Using Sean McLoughlin to block the goalkeeper’s view, however, Hunt cleverly deceived McNulty by fizzing a low shot beyond him at the near post.
That brought the third-highest crowd at the RSC to their feet but they were soon silenced. Waterford’s defence switched off to afford Cummins space into the box from Steven Beattie’s pass down the right and his cut-back from the end-line found Buckley, who brushed off Paul Keegan and stroked the ball home.
It was a goal which settled the champions and they benefited from more slack marking to forge ahead eight minutes after the break. Buckley, once again, was given too much time to unleash a shot from distance and Connor’s poor parry was capitalised on by Cummins hooking the rebound back over the goalkeeper’s head.
Waterford offered little by way of a response, bar a free header Feely failed to connect with in the dying moments, and they are now in grave danger of losing third spot to Shamrock Rovers. WATERFORD: M Connor; D Hutchinson, K Browne, R Feely, D Barnett (G Comerford 76); P Keegan (C Duffus 67); S Aborah, G Holohan (S Puri 67), B Héry; I Ikinade, N Hunt. Scorer: Hunt 31. CORK CITY: M McNulty; S Beattie, S McLoughlin, D Delaney, S Griffin; C McCormack, B McNamee (K Sadlier 88), G Buckley; J Keohane, G Cummins (J O’Hanlon 84), K Sheppard (A Bennett 90+3). Scorers: Buckley 32, Cummins 53. Referee: N Doyle (Dublin).