Ogedi-Uzokwe hits hat-trick as Derry prove far too strong for woeful Cork
JUNIOR OGEDI-UZOKWE was the Derry hero as he grabbed a hat-trick in a dismantling of Cork City at Turner’s Cross.
Based on the sides’ respective league positions, the result should not surprise and if anything the outcome is flattering to the hosts, who never threatened to get back into the game after Derry took control.
However, the opening exchanges were even and Cork arguably had the better chances when the game was scoreless. Early on, Garry Buckley was unlucky not to get a better connection when a Peter Cherrie clearance fell to him, while James Tilley’s effort went over.
However, Derry had the lead on 12 minutes, David Parkhouse with a finish from point-blank range after OgediUzokwe’s low cross following a Ciarán Coll corner.
The Rebel Army did look to respond as Graham Cummins shot wide when a Tilley free-kick broke and Gearóid Morrissey tested Cherrie but otherwise the hosts lacked penetration and their play was characterised by slow, plodding build-ups.
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Derry had their second goal on 27 and it was a very well-worked move. Barry McNamee – like ’keeper Cherrie a former Cork player – set Greg Sloggett away and his cross was perfect for OgediUzokwe to volley home.
On the half-hour, the winger had his second and Derry’s third. When Gerardo Bruna’s free-kick struck a Cork City hand in the area, referee Robert Hennessy pointed to the penalty shot. While Ogedi-Uzokwe’s shot was saved by Mark McNulty, he swept the rebound home to give the outcome an air of inevitability, even with an hour left.
Twice before half-time, Parkhouse had chances to add another, blazing over and then sending an effort just wide, OgediUzokwe the creator in both instances. In between, Cummins went close for Cork, heading narrowly off-target.
Cork interim manager John Cotter changed to a 4-4-2 as he brought Darragh Rainsford on for the second half and centre-back Dan Casey went close, firing inches over the bar on 54 minutes when Tilley rolled a free-kick to him. However, they were to lose Tilley – whose loan spell ends tomorrow – to injury soon after.
When Kevin O’Connor sent over a freekick from the right, Seán McLoughlin and Cummins had half-chances but Ciarán Coll cleared and Cork’s task became even harder as Dáire O’Connor was sent off, given a second yellow card after Hennessy deemed him to have dived.
With 24 minutes left, Ogedi-Uzokwe had his hat-trick with a back-post header from Jamie McDonagh’s cross. Graham Cummins had a late goal for Cork, but it did little to cheer the home support.