City breeze past Blues

Cork City 2, Waterford United 0

Full-back Robert Hedderman took advantage of an enterprising Cork performance to claim his first goal for the club before their dynamic striker, John O’Flynn, added a trademark second in added time to bring his season’s total for his club to 10.

Cork deserved their win but the scoreline flattered them a little. Waterford were stretched to contain them in the first half but they raised their game to match Cork in the second to win an even share of possession. They suffered because a dominant Cork defence afforded them precious little scope.

Both teams were open and adventurous in their approach and the football benefited. Cork thrived with O’Flynn and George O’Callaghan showing a return to form to provide Cork with some penetration.

O’Callaghan was close to the mood that helped him shine in the recent game against St Patrick’s Athletic and the two strikers combined brilliantly to open the defence for Dan Murray to power a header across goal and narrowly wide as early as the 14th minute.

Waterford were without Willie Byrne, who is on holiday, but Brian Mallon was an effective partner for David Breen and they had to work hard to deny Cork in a first half that provided plenty of action.

Cork produced their best work on the right flank where Neal Horgan used the ball constructively and Doyle was readily available as he diligently worked the touchline. Cork, in consequence, always had an outlet from defence and midfield and Waterford needed the capable John Frost to be on top of his game to contain them.

Waterford played with plenty of initiative and they showed their attacking teeth with a sweeping move in the 32nd minute. Frost linked with Vinny Sullivan who played a clever pass inside to Daryl Murphy and then turned to run on to the instant return. Alan Bennett made a dramatic tackle to avert the danger at the last moment.

Waterford were always competitive, especially in central midfield where Kevin O’Brien and Mark Clifford enjoyed a good second half. Manager Jimmy McGeough rang the changes in an effort to find a gap in the Cork defence but Waterford could not match Cork in the physical sense.

The imbalance in this regard was most obvious in set-pieces and Cork threatened whenever they could send their big defenders forward. The advantage they enjoyed was marginal but it was enough to decide a very close contest.

Significantly, the crucial first goal came from a left-wing corner that was hit with pace and accuracy by O’Callaghan. Hedderman met the ball high in the air to power a header past goalkeeper Holden and claim his first goal for the club since he arrived from Aberdeen.

The match was in the third minute of added time when O’Flynn claimed his customary goal to cap another hard-working individual performance. Doyle released him and he took the ball around goalkeeper Holden before driving it into the net from 10 yards.

CORK CITY (4-4-2): Mooney; Horgan, Bennett, D Murray, Woods; Doyle, C T O’Brien, K Murray, Hedderman (O’Halloran 73); O’Flynn, O’Callaghan (Behan 86).

WATERFORD UNITED (4-4-2): Holden; Hughes, Breen, Mallon, Frost; Reilly (Cosgrove 72), O’Brien, Clifford, Waters; Murphy (O’Neill 60/Fitzgerald 86), Sullivan.

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).