Cork City 3
Dundalk 0
Paul Dollery reports from Turner’s Cross
THE DOMESTIC FOOTBALL season for 2017 has begun just as its predecessor ended, with Cork City capturing silverware at Dundalk’s expense.
Sean Maguire, who struck late in extra-time to give City a 1-0 win over the Lilywhites in last November’s FAI Cup final, did the damage much earlier on this occasion, before Kevin O’Connor and Karl Sheppard put some gloss on the win.
Maguire found the net in the 16th minute tonight as John Caulfield’s side retained the President’s Cup in front of a 3,140 crowd at a rainy Turner’s Cross. O’Connor punished Dundalk with a spectacular free-kick in the 69th minute after Paddy Barrett had cynically brought down Stephen Dooley on the edge of the box. Sheppard added a third in added time.
The result is unlikely to have much of an impact on what’s to come this year, but ahead of next weekend’s Premier Division kick-off, a fifth win and clean sheet in six games against Dundalk will only serve to boost Cork City’s confidence as they look to deny Stephen Kenny’s side a fourth consecutive title.
The home side managed to keep Dundalk out despite the absence of last year’s reliable central defensive pairing. With Alan Bennett injured and Kenny Browne rumoured to be on his way to Waterford, Ryan Delaney (on loan from Burton Albion) made his debut at the heart of the defence alongside fellow newcomer Conor McCormack, who was acting as a makeshift centre-half. Caulfield also handed a debut to winger Jimmy Keohane.
Michael Duffy was the only debutant for the visitors. Kenny opted to keep new signings Jamie McGrath, Sean Hoare, Niclas Vemmelund, Conor Clifford and Steve Kinsella on the bench. Dundalk travelled south without Gary Rogers, Shane Grimes, Chris Shields and David McMillan, while the game came too soon for new arrival Thomas Stewart.
Dundalk looked set to open the scoring in the eighth minute of this game. After Patrick McEleney capitalised on a mistake by McCormack, he played Ciaran Kilduff through on goal. However, City goalkeeper Mark McNulty made an excellent save to deny the Lilywhites’ striker.
Kevin O’Connor then tested Dundalk goalkeeper Gabriel Sava with a free-kick, but the hosts did take the lead in the 16th minute. After Kilduff was dispossessed on the edge of the City box, Garry Buckley looked for Sean Maguire with a long pass over the top. Paddy Barrett struggled to deal with the bouncing ball, Maguire turned him on his left before firing through the legs of Sava with an excellent finish from a tricky angle.
John Caulfield’s side appeared to have doubled their lead 11 minutes later. When Dundalk cleared the danger from a corner, McCormack sent the ball back into the box and it ended up in the Dundalk net, again travelling through the legs of Sava. However, referee Anthony Buttimer ruled the effort out as Jimmy Keohane was deemed to have interfered with play by attempting to get his head on the ball.
Dundalk began to see more of the ball after the half-hour mark as they sought to get back on level terms. Duffy threatened with a long-range effort, but their best chance of the half fell to John Mountney in the 34th minute. He got his head on a McEleney cross from the left but McNulty produced a superb save to keep his side in front.
Maguire almost had his second goal four minutes before the interval. Following a nice interchange of passes with Buckley, the former West Ham striker rounded Sava but he could only find the side netting, once again from a difficult angle on the left.
Maguire continued to pose problems for Dundalk after the restart. First he saw a shot from the edge of the box deflected over the crossbar, then the 22-year-old forced Sava to stop a header from a corner by Stephen Dooley.
Dundalk’s best chance of a goal in the second half came in the 57th minute when Duffy broke down the left but fired his effort across the face of goal. That was as good as it got for the Louth side in a second half that lacked the intensity of the opening period.
When Barrett brought down Dooley, O’Connor stepped up and the Irish U21 international curled the resultant free-kick into the top corner, although Sava did manage to get a hand on it.
Sheppard wrapped up the win with a fine goal in the sixth minute of added time, beating Dane Massey and Barrett down the right before cutting inside and finishing emphatically.
A disappointing night for Dundalk was compounded by what looked like a serious injury for Kilduff, who was stretchered off after a clash with McNulty as the game entered added time.
Dundalk start the defence of their Premier Division title at home to Shamrock Rovers in seven days’ time. Cork City travel to Ballybofey to play Finn Harps on the same night.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Steven Beattie (Shane Griffin, 83), Conor McCormack, Ryan Delaney, Kevin O’Connor; Greg Bolger (Karl Sheppard, 65); Jimmy Keohane, Gearoid Morrissey (Connor Ellis, 87), Garry Buckley; Stephen Dooley (Conor McCarthy, 90); Sean Maguire.
Dundalk: Gabriel Sava; Sean Gannon (Niclas Vemmelund, 79), Paddy Barrett, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; John Mountney (Steve Kinsella, 74), Robbie Benson, Stephen O’Donnell (Conor Clifford, 78), Michael Duffy (Jamie McGrath, 79); Patrick McEleney; Ciaran Kilduff (Carlton Ubaezuonu, 90).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Good game in tough conditions: lovely goals by ourselves. Fair play to Dundalk for travelling down.
What’s the story with the gate in the President’s Cup? Decent crowd, do City keep the gate? I know Dundalk gave up home advantage this year because of pitch not being ready and presumably the FAI will take a slice as they ‘organise’ this ‘cup’.
Three fine goals!!
Predicted League table 2017
1 – Cork
2 – Dundalk
3 – Sligo
4 – Derry
5 – Bray
6 – Shams
7 – Limerick
8 – St. Pats
9 – Galway
10 – Bohs.
11 – Finn Harps
12 – Drogs
Spot the Sligo fan…….1. Cork 2. Dundalk 3.Rovers 4. Bray 5. Derry
You’re being very harsh on Shamrock Rovers!! I love That you have City on top, but I think it’s a 3 horse race between Cork , Dundalk and Rovers
Agree but hard to tell how Rovers will shape up this season, may take a while to get it right, Dundalk by far the weakened side this season compared to last, the rest have gotten a lot stronger. Forgetting Waterford could cause an upset or two as well.
1.Dundalk
2.Cork
3.Derry
4.Limerick
Hope Kenny Browne doesn’t leave, top centre half. I know it’s his home town and they’re on the up but wait until next season and half a crack at the league with City. Delaney looked an assured ball playing centre half. McCormack played great, tigerish in the tackle and played the easy ball.
City by far the better team against Dundalk tonight; not that Dundalk were that bad just City were better. Gartland and Mountney their weak links with Maguire and Dooley running them ragged, thought Mcormack had great game out of position and Buckley bossed midfield. Long season ahead but City seem to have the edge.Dundalk are a good side but when they come up against teams better or equal to them they struggle a bit. Rovers might make it a 3 horse race this time just to make it a bit more interesting, but City have the quality to go all the way this time.
Kenny Browne would be a massive loss. Presume City can command a fee for him since he’s under contract for the season. Would be very interesting to see what this would be, he’s a big player in a position where cover is tight. His loss really could be the difference between finishing 1st or 2nd which is a difference of min €300k (thanks to UEFA). Surely City should be demanding €100k from Waterford for Browne.
By the way Waterford have also signed Davy McDaid from Cliftonville. Serious squad being assembled there.
Interesting 1st division next season with Wexford feeling hard done by in playoffs with manager issues and a sustainable core local players with premier div experience behind them now, Cobh looking to build on last years progress. Shels will always challenge for a period at least, UCD will be strong as always, Cabinteely have a wily old manager and record seeking striker and Longford will be looking to bounce back. Could be another long season for Athlone!
“When dundalk come up against teams better than them they struggle”!! Name one team in the last 3 seasons who were better than us? The league table never lies. We have signed up on 8 new players and they will need time to gel. The league isn’t won or lost in a meaningless pre season friendly. Just like it wasn’t last season.
Why did Kenny put out nearly his strongest 11 for a meaningless pre season friendly? Oh yeah how have Dundalks last 6 games against City gone?
Rooney do you mean rovers? In 6th? Dream on.Sligo in 3rd and people actually green thumbed him unbelievable.
@Paddy, you’re correct Paddy, on reflection I should have put Shams in 8th.
Ah the bit’er red. Let it go, your one sided rivalry lasted a couple seasons, now you’re back where you belong just above relegation.
I wasn’t aware that finishing 5th meant being “Just above relegation” but thanks anyways, I almost forgot that the League of Ireland has 6 teams in it
Will they do the same in the league though?
It wil finish dundslk cork shamrock rivers but in any order let’s hope dundalk make it four in a row
Cork wil be hard to beat do wil shamrock rovers but I think the town can do it again for four in s row