Cork City – St. Patrick’s Athletic

Recap

Cork City climbed to second spot in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division after a hard fought 1-0 victory over St. Patrick’s Athletic at Turner’s Cross.

A second half goal from Graham Cummins was enough to secure victory for John Caulfield’s men.

The visitors started the better, pushing the Leesiders back into their own penalty are in the opening five minutes, but they were unable to provide a finish and City scrambled it clear.

In the fifth minute Cummins almost gave City the lead, but he was unable to guide Barry McNamee’s corner in at the far post.

Cummins came within inches of giving the home side the lead a minute shy of the quarter hour mark. It was the same scenario, a McNamee corner found the former St. Johnstone man and his header rebounded off the foot of the post.

The recurring motif of McNamee finding Cummins with a corner happened once more in the 22^nd minute, this time the Cork man headed it back across goal but Sadlier was unable to supply the touch necessary to guide it into the net.

McNamee almost found the net himself in the 22^nd minute. Cutting inside from the right, his curling cross almost drifted straight in at the far post.

Both teams continued to look for the opener, but no other chances prevented themselves in the first half.

City started quickly after the interval, pushing into the visitors’ half immediately. The deciding goal came in the 50^th minute. Conor McCormack picked you a clearance and sent a chipped shot back into the danger zone. Cummins, as he had done many times previously in this game, rose highest and his looping header left Berry Murphy with no chance.

The Saints put the pressure on following the goal, seeking an equaliser. City were equal to it however, and the Leesiders’ defence held strong for the rest of the game.

The best chance for a second goal in the game fell to John Caulfield’s men, coming in the 85^th minute courtesy of two City substitutes. Immediately after coming on Josh O’Hanlon won the ball in midfield and drove at the Saints’ defence. He then slipped it through to Jimmy Keohane whose shot forced a great save from Murphy.