SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division
Cork City 3
Longford Town 2
CORK CITY ARE MAKING a habit of last-minute winners as Seani Maguire’s second-half brace lifted the Leesiders within one win of the First Division title.
They did it the hard way in front of 2,468 fans at Turner’s Cross after conceding twice for the first time all season against bottom-side Longford Town.
Manager Tim Clancy was sent off at half-time after a controversial penalty decision left his side trailing 2-1 but Maguire’s first goals since returning to Cork rescued the victory.
The winner, created by fit-again substitute Cian Bargary, came down Longford’s left flank just two minutes after full-back Dean O’Shea had been dismissed for a second yellow.
By twice coming from behind to win, City earned the opportunity to clinch promotion back to the Premier Division next Friday with a win away to UCD. They are 16 points clear of the Students with seven games remaining.
Longford remain four points adrift of Kerry at the foot of the table.
Clancy made three changes from the last-gasp victory over Cobh Ramblers as Cian Coleman, Evan McLaughlin, and Jack Doherty returned. Charlie Lyons, Matthew Kiernan, and Seán Murray switched to the bench.
Longford entered without a win or clean sheet in their last six and City looked likely to extend both those streaks early on.
Doherty blazed over after a super Keating flick on before Maguire almost profited from a defensive mistake. After evading the keeper, though, the angle was too narrow to convert.
Maguire was anxious for his first goal and he twice more came close to a breakthrough. Town keeper Harry Halwax got across to tip his header away before pulling a shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
Longford came straight down the field to plunder a 20th-minute lead goal. Bastien Hery was an early replacement for the injured Mohammed Boudiaf and he set the move in motion.
Daniel Norris exchanged passes with Ross Fay before drilling low under Brad Wade. It was just the fourth time Wade was beaten at home in 15 league games.
City responded by targeting Longford’s aerial fallibilities. Keating’s first header flew over but his second, from McLaughlin’s cross, beat the advancing Halwax for the leveller.
City’s shot count entered double-digits by the half-hour but when Norris went down in the box, Declan Toland decided he had been pushed by Darragh Crowley.
Regardless of the soft nature of the penalty, Francis Campbell stepped up and took great joy in silencing the Shed End with his stutter-step finish.
Halwax was put to work again by a swerving Doherty strike before O’Shea headed wide in stoppage time.
Longford led 2-1 into the break after which neither Clancy nor Niall Brookwell re-emerged, the latter replaced by Lyons.
They paid a heavy price as City levelled in the 59th minute. Crowley’s cross was played back across goal when Maguire was on hand to apply the final touch.
Wade had to be alert to deny Norris before the left winger had another point-blank chance spoiled by Crowley’s sliding tackle.
O’Shea’s red card created the breathing room for Bargary to surge forward and Maguire’s flick sent the Shed into overdrive.
Cork City: B Wade; D Crowley, C Coleman, N Brookwell (C Lyons h-t), E McLaughlin; M Dijksteel (C Bargary 84), G Bolger, J Doherty (S Murray 75), C O’Sullivan; R Keating, S Maguire (A Healy 90+3).
Longford Town: H Halwax; S Elworthy, V Serdeniuk, E Yoro, D O’Shea; R Fay (J Tallon 86), E Topcu; K Chambers, M Boudiaf (B Hery 6), D Norris; F Campbell (J Adeyemo 86).
Referee: D Toland.