City 4-1 Longford

Report by Graham Cummins for EchoLive.ie

Cork City had to come from behind to earn a valuable three points in their fight for promotion from the First Division against Longford Town at Turners Cross on Friday night.

Sam Verdon had given the visitors the lead before Micheal Barker's own-goal drew the sides level, but two goals from Barry Coffey and one from Darragh Crowley, secured the victory for Colin Healy’s team in front of the 2,337 supporters.

City weren’t at their best in the first half but dominated the game in the second period and deservedly ran out winners.

Longford started the game the better of the sides with City failing to have any real impact on the game in the opening stages. The Longford players’ passing and movement was excellent and City were struggling to cope with the visitors.

City grew into the game and had the first real opportunity of the match when Ally Gilchrist found himself unmarked from a Matt Healy corner but the Scotsman rose too early and failed to direct his header on target.

The home fans seemed frustrated with their team at times, and those groans increased when David Harrington almost gifted Darren Craven a goal, but luckily for the keeper he made up for his error by preventing the ball from hitting the net.

Longford keeper Luke Dennison was called into action five minutes before the half-time whistle when he denied Cian Murphy. The City striker found himself through on goal after some excellent play by his striking partner Ruairi Keating, but after opting against squaring the ball to Keating, shot straight at Dennison.

Verdon had his team ahead three minutes later. The striker forced his way to get on the end of a cross and clinically headed into the City net, giving Harrington no chance of stopping it.

City managed to claw their way back into the game and were level just on the stroke of half-time when Barker steered Kevin O’Connor’s cross into his own net.

Longford somehow failed to regain the lead after the interval. Eric Molloy found himself unmarked six yards out but his effort was blocked by teammate Verdon, who was denied by Harrington from close-range.

City went in front after some excellent play from Cian Bargary, who’s cross was flapped by Dennison, and Coffey was quickest to pounce on the poor clearance from the keeper to give City the lead.

The Celtic loanee was on the scoresheet again five minutes from the end when he excellently finished after the ball fell kindly to him inside the penalty area.

The pick of the goals of the night came from Crowley when his powerful striker from outside the area went in off the inside of the post.

Referee: Mark Moynihan.

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