Cork City 1
Dundalk 2
Paul Dollery reports from Turner’s Cross
DUNDALK SHOWED FEW signs of experiencing difficulty in adapting to life after Stephen Kenny as they claimed the 2019 President’s Cup at the expense of a Cork City side who were aiming to win the silverware for the fourth year in a row.
While City had the better of the second period, an utterly dominant first half for the Lilywhites ensured that the silverware will be heading back up the M8 tonight.
Headed goals from Dane Massey and Patrick Hoban had Dundalk in the ascendancy at the break. Kevin O’Connor, whose return to Cork on loan from Preston North End was only confirmed yesterday, gave the home side hope by scoring with a spectacular free-kick just moments after being introduced as a second-half substitute.
However, it wasn’t enough for City to deny Dundalk in their first outing under new head coach Vinny Perth. Despite a much-improved display from the hosts after the restart, Perth’s side deserved their victory in front of a 2,777 crowd which included President Michael D Higgins.
Cork City manager John Caulfield — who was without the injured Karl Sheppard — handed competitive debuts to three of his new signings, with defender Dan Casey and wide attackers James Tilley and Dáire O’Connor all included in a line-up that showed four changes from last November’s FAI Cup final. Vinny Perth selected the same Dundalk side that started that 2-1 victory at the Aviva Stadium.
City didn’t lay a glove on their opponents for the duration of the first half. While Caulfield’s men struggled in the final third, Dundalk had no such problems.
Hoban was the width of a post away from grabbing the game’s opening goal on nine minutes, his header from a corner coming back off the woodwork.
Michael Duffy, the 2018 PFAI Player of the Year, was involved in many of Dundalk’s most promising moments in attack. The influential Derry native had City goalkeeper Mark McNulty scrambling in the 15th minute as his free-kick sailed just wide.
They had to wait 36 minutes, but Dundalk eventually had the lead their dominance deserved. The opening goal arrived via a corner which was awarded after John Mountney’s shot deflected narrowly wide off Casey. When the ball was delivered by Duffy, Massey rose highest to head home.
The advantage was doubled in first-half injury time. After City initially cleared the danger from a corner, the ball found its way back to Duffy. His cross located Hoban, whose glancing header beat McNulty.
With a two-goal deficit to overturn, City vastly improved their output upon the resumption of play. They finally registered an attempt on target in the 53rd minute when Graham Cummins forced a save from Gary Rogers with a strike from a difficult angle.
Just after the hour mark, Kevin O’Connor was introduced in place of Conor McCormack. O’Connor had only been on the pitch for three minutes when he beat Rogers to get City back into the game.
Dáire O’Connor — who had a very impressive first outing for his new club — was fouled just outside the Dundalk box, before namesake Kevin stepped up to produce a sublime strike which was reminiscent of his goal in this fixture in 2017.
City piled on the pressure in their search for an equaliser, yet Dundalk’s rearguard remained resolute. James Tilley put the ball in the Dundalk net in additional time, but Cummins — who teed up the on-loan Brighton & Hove Albion youngster — had already been flagged for being in an offside position.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy, Dan Casey, Sean McLoughlin, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack (Kevin O’Connor, 62), Gearoid Morrissey; Dáire O’Connor, Garry Buckley (captain), James Tilley; Graham Cummins.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Sean Hoare, Brian Gartland (captain), Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (Dean Jarvis, 90); John Mountney, Patrick McEleney (Sean Murray, 68), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban (Georgie Kelly, 83).
Referee: Robert Hennessy
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Negative talk. This was an excellent performance from a very young and inexperienced Cork team still getting used to each other. Well done Johnny and this young team, we will be there or thereabouts.
@maurice kavanagh: Agree, they were better in first half, City better in second half. Hoban had a free header, if McCarthys two efforts went in, totally different game.Daire O Connor? Very skillful player, they had 4 players on him at one stage, just ghosted past them, could be a massive player for us.Tilley looks a player as well. Came out very happy after game
Dreadful first half from City.
@IrishOwl: A real game of two halves. City woeful in the first-half but could have sent it to extra-time in the second. Based on the second-half, there’s hope for City for 2019 but won’t challenge Dundalk for the title.
@James Clancy: sure we may as well give Dundalk the cup now so… lol
Reading a bit much into that second half fellas. We played in second gear to see what you had. With five minutes to go our goalkeeper dribbled the ball out of his own box wrong-footing two Cork players in the process. Our centre-half charged 80 yards down the centre of the pitch Claudio Canniggia style just because he felt like it, with two Cork players booked for trying to hack him down. It was a walk in the park friendly for us.
But yes it would have been a totally different game if Dundalk hadn’t scored one of the goals and Cork had scored two more goals.
@Le Treizième ⚽️: You played in 2nd gear because City would’nt let ye go up to 3rd, 2 goals from set pieces, did’nt score from open play, lot of hoofing in 2nd half. Also same team as last year, look at all the players City lost, Dundalk probably felt they would hammer a young makeshift team, did’nt happen.Would’nt be getting too carried away there lads.Its a while since Dundalk came up against a player as skillful as young Daire O Connor who ghosted past your defence everytime he got the ball. Dundalk might not have it all their own way……
@running man: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda….. Didn’t.
Suck it up. Dundalk the superior side. 2–1 was the result.
@Dan Smyth: New team, lot of young fellas, ye had an experienced team, who at times were shown up by some very skilful play,Gartland; Shields, Mountney doing there usually hoofing, effective but not great to watch, these young fellas at City will have a big say this year. We won this competition for last 3 years, so ye can have it this year….
@running man: tbh more worried about Rovers Waterford and Pats don’t think Cork will count this year… Rebuilding year for you…
@David Sally: Maybe, but Dundalk had their strongest team out, City had a good few young fellas, one or two who were much more skillful than Dundalk players,who found it very difficult to handle them. They also had the refs ear which helps, fair play to them. City young lads will get cuter though as the season goes on.Dundalk fan i spoke to recently reckoned it would be 5 or 6 nil, and City would be 6th or 7th in the league this year…. we’ll see.
Second half was definately more positive from City but I think that Dundalk definately downed the gears in the second half.
When Dindalk needed to get a foothold in the game in the first half they ran the show on there terms and were miles better.
O Connor looked decent and Tiley will definately have an input but in the midfield we have serious issues. No pace there and they are way too slow in picking a telling pass.
Also City had Liam Nash on trial from Gillingham, i saw him playing a couple of games back in Kerry for City and he looked a very very good attacking player, was he signed or what…