CHAMPIONS SEAN FORM
Award winner Mcloughlin puts in another prize winning display as Cork see off Bohs
IT wasn’t a bad bank holiday weekend for Sean Mcloughlin who took to the star-studded RTE stage as an award winner before starring on the Turner’s Cross stage for Cork City.
With Dundalk and Waterford not playing yesterday, the Leesiders extended their lead at the top of the Premier Division with a facile victory.
Goals from Graham Cummins and Kieran Sadlier – the fifth of the new league campaign for both men – gave them a solid first half platform and sub Karl Sheppard iced the cake with an 88th minute third.
Bohs lacked bite in attack but Cork’s new-look defence featuring 21-year-old Mcloughlin and Conor Mccarthy, 19, deserve credit.
“When people talk about finance and budgets and stuff like that, we’re very strict down here,” said boss John Caulfield afterwards.
“We’ve had incredible personnel change over the last two years. Sometimes people think it’s just one team (Dundalk) that have had a change over. But we’ve endured all that and we don’t make excuses, we just get on with it.”
On the eve of the game, Mcloughlin got the Colleges and Universities International Footballer of the Year award for his performances with UCC, who won the Collingwood Cup and Munster Senior League in 2017.
“It was a good few days,” smiled the centre-back. “I left after receiving my own award but it was good to attend Cork City Shamrock R Dundalk Waterford Derry City Limerick St Patrick’s Sligo Rovers Bohemians Bray P 7 7 6 6 6 7 6 6 7 6 W 5 4 3 4 3 2 2 2 1 0 D
1
1 3 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 L
1 2 0 2 3 3 3 3 4 5 F 14 15 10 7 14 4 5 8 6 3 A 5 5 0 5 11 16 7 11 10 16 Pts 16 13 12 12 9 8 7 7 5 1
and see the other award winners. I did well in college football and it has been a good couple of years for me.”
Mcloughlin has started the last three games for Cork and, after joining the club last summer and working hard on his fitness, the youngster now wants to establish himself.
“Alan Bennett is a huge part of the team,” he said. “Unfortunately he’s injured and that’s why I got the chance. As a footballer you just want to play every game. If he comes back, maybe I’ll be with him.
“John is giving young lads chances. If you’re a young player, it’s definitely the club to be at.”
Bohs were winners here last season but a Cork victory was never in doubt in front of the 4,265 attendance.
Cummins netted first in the 17th minute though he knew nothing about it as Jimmy Keohane’s shot ricocheted off him, wrong-footing Gypsies keeper Shane Supple.
Then Sadlier converted his fourth penalty of the new campaign on 21 minutes after Barry Mcnamee’s cross was handled by Rob Cornwall.
Sheppard replaced Sadlier with 25 minutes left and sent a sweet strike from just outside the area to send the Cork fans home with a warm glow.