Prolific O’Flynn keeps City on top

Cork City 1 Bohemians 0

A subdued City struggled against a Bohs side who will regard themselves as unlucky to come away from Leeside with nothing, especially after playing the better football. And for all their effort and positive approach this season, the Gypsies still lie pointless in the league.

The eircom league champions could never get to grips with the Gypsies high-tempo game and their goal arrived completely against the run of play. However the build-up and finish were sublime.

A number of factors contributed to City’s strangely pedantic performance.

The imbalance in the midfield has been a major talking point since the sale of left winger Liam Kearney. Billy Woods was out through suspension but last night the absence of Roy O’Donovan, also through suspension, exacerbated City’s problems on the other side of midfield.

Defenders, in a bid to launch an attack from the back, were too often forced to play ball through the centre with no apparent route down either flank.

The nature of City’s play in the opening 10 minutes seemed to counter this argument Fenn and Gamble provided the creativity in midfield, while John O’Flynn continued his good early-season form by exhibiting plenty of enthusiasm up front.

In the fourth minute Fenn played a delicious pass to Colin O’Brien on the right, and his crisp cross saw Barry Ferguson relieve pressure for a corner. Two minutes later Fenn again was involved, playing to the right wing to O’Flynn. The latter’s cross saw Behan dive in at speed but Jason McGuinness was perfectly positioned with the defensive header.

Slowly Bohemians were gaining an upper hand in all areas, with Fergal Harkin particularly prominent on the right side of midfield. One of his mazy runs in the 11th minute led directly to corner. From the ensuing corner McGuinness came close to opening the scoring, only for Danny Murphy to clear off the goal line.

McGuinness was again close in the 19th minute. His powerful header came close to rattling the back of Michael Devine’s net.

At this stage it was difficult to gauge who the home team was given Boh’s confidence on the ball, neat passing and overall dominance of possession.

Kevin Hunt and Mark O’Brien were cruising at midfield while wingers Harkin and Stephen Rice were enjoying plenty of time on the ball. In the 28th minute, Stephen Ward’s effort from the edge of the area was well wide but it came after a period indecision and complacency by the City back four.

The Gypsies looked to be enjoying their visit to Cork and a good ball from Harkin found Heary, who shot just right of Devine’s post in the 35th minute.

In the 43rd minute Bohs should have taken the lead. After a patient build up started by the excellent Hunt, Ward crossed to the far post, the ball skimmed off the back of Murray’s head but when it landed in the path of Rice, the winger shot high over Devine’s crossbar.

Bohs continued to dominate after the interval with Rice coming very close from a far post header in the 57th minute. The Dublin side’s possession game continued to fizz with Mark O’Brien’s long range shot two minutes later a rather lame attempt after such promising approach work.

An air of despondency was beginning to envelope Turner’s Cross before City opened the scoring with a goal out of the top drawer in the 66th minute. A clearing header from O’Callaghan fell to Fenn in midfield. He played a cut-out pass to Behan on the right who took it to the edge of the box and crossed to O’Flynn at the far post. The City striker cushioned Behan’s inch-perfect pass to the bottom left-hand corner.

It didn’t deter Bohs from continuing their positive approach and after Ward turned inside Murray his shot was blocked for a corner by substitute Cillian Lordan.

George O’Callaghan came close to conjuring up a spectacular goal when his chip from outside the box took a deflection and bounced off O’Brien’s cross bar.

However City weathered the storm and showed the mark and hardness of champions, and this morning lie joint top of the Premier Division.

CORK CITY (4-3-3): Devine; Horgan, Bennett (inj Lordan 60), Murray, Murphy; O’Brien, Gamble, O’Callaghan; Fenn (Sullivan 90 + 2), O’Flynn (Softic 72), Behan.

BOHEMIANS (4-4-2): O’Brien; Heary, Ferguson, McGuinness, Byrne; Rice, O’Brien (Arkins 87), Hunt, Harkin (O’Keefe 78); Grant, Ward.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)