Match Report: City 2-1 Longford Town

Charlie Lyons’ pounced on the rebound of Seani Maguire’s saved penalty just minutes from full time to secure a 2-1 victory for Cork City against Longford Town in front of a 2,446-person crowd at Turner’s Cross. A dominant display from the Rebel Army, they were nevertheless made to work for their rewards against a resilient Red and Black defence. Despite a host of first half opportunities, it wasn’t until Maguire’s 64^th minute strike that the home fans had a goal to cheer – a fifth goal of the campaign for City’s skipper tonight. Longford equalised in the 79^th minute through Stefan Ogbesia, but Barry Robson’s men soon struck back to ensure a third successive home triumph. 

First Half: 

City flew out of the blocks, taking only half a minute to create their first opening as Josh Fitzpatrick broke down the right and fizzed the ball across goal.  The keeper couldn’t collect and the half-clearance was swiftly returned into the box where Maguire latched on but his goal-bound shot was crucially blocked by Longford’s Sean Moore.  

The ball didn’t stay out of the Town’s box for long; with only 90 seconds on the clock a quick-thinking free kick from Greg Bolger played Seani in behind, but his lofted attempt strayed over Kian Moore’s crossbar. 

It looked like it was third-time lucky for the Irish international even before the fourth minute mark when he turned in Ruairi Keating’s sliding pass across the face of goal but the flag was instantly raised by the assistant on the far side. City’s #9 was deemed to be in an offside position from Cillian Murphy’s pass after some tidy play between the lines from the 16-year old.  

The pressure continued from the Rebel Army as they attacked the Curragh Road end. Darragh Crowley’s incisive, defence-splitting pass between the opposition wing back and centre back found Hans Mpongo who cut onto his right but his curled effort from just inside the penalty area drifted narrowly beyond the far post. 

Seconds after the resulting goal kick, Bolger promptly won the ball back in midfield and found Murphy who, after a quick dribble, slipped in Fitzpatrick inside the area but the right-winger’s first time strike evaded the target.  

After an early onslaught, Longford solidified with Wayne Groves’ men also beginning to hold their own share of intermittent possession. City were made to wait the bones of twenty minutes before their next attempt, again created by the combination of Murphy and Fitzpatrick down the right. A darting, cross-pitch forward dribble from the former allowed Fitzpatrick to run into the space down the flank. Having cut onto his left, his effort looked to be heading on target but for a deflection off the recovering defender that sent it over the bar for a corner.  

It was then the away side’s turn to attack, as Longford managed their first shot of the game in the 32^nd minute. Pharrell Manuel’s looped pass over the City backline was latched onto by Daragh Murtagh, running in behind from right to left, but the 21-year old dragged his effort beyond Conor Brann’s far post. Longford’s only other attempt in the first half came just before the 45^th minute mark. A wide free kick was cut across the edge of the box but Town skipper Alex O’Brien slashed his effort high into the Shed. 

Robson’s side had two more chances to enter the dressing room in front, both coming after the unofficial mid-half break when ‘keeper Moore requested treatment on 36 minutes, allowing both sides to head over to the dugout to take both water and instructions on board. The first of these opportunities involved Fitzpatrick down the right once more, his drilled low cross across the box found Maguire just yards from goal, but another last-ditch Longford block, this time from Daniel McKenna, denied City’s talisman.  

The subsequent corner ended up in some penalty-box pinball, eventually dropping to Bolger but his first-time hit was sliced over, meaning the first 45 minutes was destined to end scoreless in spite of City’s best efforts. 

Second Half: 

The Rebel Army raced out of the traps in the second half as well, yet again creating a scoring opportunity within the first 45 seconds. Fitzpatrick, perennially involved in City’s attacks and later named Man of the Match, broke onto a loose pass from O’Brien in the Longford half and quickly slid Seani in one-on-one but the effort from the left side of the penalty area was straight at Moore who parried clear.  

City continued to dominate possession in the opponent’s half, in front of a deep five-man Longford defence, reduced to a couple of efforts from distance over the next quarter hour. Two of these, from Mpongo, flashed agonisingly off target as the home team continued to probe. 

Robson’s men were finally given their reward after 64 minutes of sustained attacking pressure. In the second phase from a corner, Murphy’s return cross fell kindly to Maguire via a Longford boot, his left-legged strike taking a nick before bouncing beyond a helpless Moore into the right-side netting to give City a much deserved lead in front of the Shed. 

The Town nearly offered a rapid response, but Murtagh’s shot from inside the area within a minute of the restart was easily held by Brann. Aside from that, the game’s trend remained consistent as City regained control and continued to push for a second. Seani came close to doubling his tally within five minutes of his first, but his header from Bolger’s cross stayed the wrong side of the near post. Not a minute later, Maguire almost turned provider when his cut back granted Fitzpatrick a shooting opportunity inside the box, but the Corkonian winger’s left-footed strike sailed wide.  

Although the Rebel Army looked the team more likely to grab the next goal, that proved not to be the case. An industrious dribbling run from Andy Paraschiv into the Curragh Road penalty area in the 79^th minute wasn’t stopped by the retreating defence, with two of Groves’ second half substitutes combining as Paraschiv laid it on a plate for Town number nine Stefan Ogbesia to tap it in at the back post. The ‘Red and Black’ looked set to have spoiled the Shed’s party with only their second shot on target of the match. 

A rallied response from the Leesiders, however, ensured that the scores didn’t remain level for long. City’s breakthrough, once again, was originated in the second phase from a corner. This time as the ball broke to Crowley on the edge of the area, his shot was blocked by the arm of Longford goalscorer Ogbesia, leading referee Ryan Maher to point to the spot. 

Awarded in the 83^rd minute, it was taken in the 86^th after the post-decision melee had subsided. Maguire stepped up, but his placed effort low to the right was saved by Moore. Charlie Lyons was quickest to snap up the rebound, sending Turner’s Cross into a state of relieved jubilation. City, though leaving it late, finally got what they deserved and claimed the points the performance merited against a resilient and robust Longford. 

From the second goal, Robson’s side succeeded in doing what they didn’t at 1-0 and saw out the victory, maintaining both their 100% record at Turner’s Cross and their three-point lead at the top of the table. Ahead of the trip to Dublin to face UCD next week, Cork City’s record reads four wins, one draw, no defeats with the most goals scored and fewest conceded in the division.