Perfect ten as Cork top Pat’s
CORK CITY made it a perfect 10 of Premier Division wins in a row — but this was by no means a vintage performance from John Caulfield’s table toppers even if the scoreline suggests otherwise.
Still, they got the job done against St Patrick’s Athletic thanks to a dubious Ryan Delaney goal, Karl Sheppard’s sixth of the season and Garry Buckley’s delightful lob in the 93rd minute — his fifth in as many games.
Preston manager Simon Grayson was in attendance along with club adviser Peter Ridsdale to keep an eye on top scorer Sean Maguire, and while the lethal frontman didn’t find the net he showed glimpses of what he can offer with neat link-up play and an assist for Sheppard.
This victory won’t linger in the memory but it’s another three points on the road to a possible title success for Cork.
St Pat’s handed a first league start to Darragh Markey after the 19-year-old impressed during the EA Sports Cup win over Bray Wanderers on Monday and he was one of the few bright spots for the hosts on a pretty grim night. This was their fourth defeat in front of their own fans at Richmond Park.
It was scrappy and disjointed in the first half and on the one occasion that Cork did manage to create a chance of note, Sheppard blasted a great opportunity over the bar after Stephen Dooley had put the ball on a plate for him.
Despite this inexperiencedlooking Pat’s side giving a good account of themselves and more than matching their title-chasing opponents, Cork almost took the lead eight minutes before the break when Delaney’s back-post header from a Dooley corner struck the upright.
That would have been a real sickener for the hosts.
With 62 minutes gone, the deadlock was finally broken — and in quite confusing circumstances.
A dangerous-looking tackle by Kurtis Byrne left Conor McCormack pole-axed and resulted in a melee with bookings for Gavin Peers and Buckley.
But when Cork took the freekick — an in-swinger from the left foot of Kevin O’Connor on the right wing — confusion reigned in the Saints’ box.
Looping in to the area with little pace, the ball from the setpiece seemed harmless enough but it somehow pin-balled around the players and Delaney was eventually credited with the goal.
John Dunleavy, who replaced captain Alan Bennett after he limped off five minutes into the second half, was also close to the action and there was a suggestion he was the last Cork player to get a touch before going in off a Pat’s player.
There was little doubt, however, over who netted a second for Cork eight minutes later when O’Connor’s brilliant free kick smashed in off the post.
Pat’s huffed and puffed thereafter but never looked like breaking the Cork defence down. Greg Bolger was introduced by John Caulfield to see the game out at 1-0 but Sheppard made sure with a shot inside the box that should have been saved.
Buckley put the icing on the cake in injury time when he lofted substitute Shane Griffin’s pass in to the roof of the net.
Job done.