O’Flynn keeps City flying

Cork City 3 Bray Wanderers 0

Another goal from former Peterborough teenager John O’Flynn, his 10th in six home games, plus Greg O’Halloran’s third of the week and a cracker from George O’Callaghan sealed this win, City’s fourth on the trot at Turner’s Cross in the eircom League, and left Bray still winless this season.

The home side went into the game with injuries to central defenders Declan Daly and Stephen Napier while another, John Andrews was deemed too risky to start following his recovery from an ankle problem. That meant midfielder Alan Bennett started in central defence, having taken over from Napier in the midweek cup replay win over Monaghan United.

The Leesiders took the game by the scruff of the neck in the third minute when Billy Woods’ corner found Colin T O’Brien whose glancing header at the near post crossed the face of goal.

It laid down an ominous early marker for the visitors and former Shamrock Rovers winger Woods was again the provider three minutes later with a cross from the right which George O’Callaghan steered into the hands of grateful Bray keeper Matt Gregg.

But City took the lead in the 13th minute when John O’Flynn struck for the 10th time in six home games. Bray boss Devlin will have been fuming with the manner of its creation as it stemmed from a Bray throw in. Mick Doohan’s header found team-mate Colm Tresson on the edge of the Wanderers area but his clearance canoned off the pressurising O’Flynn who gathered the ball to fire across the diving Gregg into the far corner.

Bray nearly hit back within a minute of the restart as Keith Long darted down the left wing, cut inside and sent in a low drive across the face of goal that Devine saved.

But the initiative was soon back with City as an O’Callaghan cross from the right headed out for a corner by Jody Lynch. Wood’s dead ball was punched clear by keeper Gregg but only as far as right back Alan Carey who immediately swung in a centre which Greg O’Halloran headed high over the bar.

City again posed a threat on the half hour when Woods latched onto a Reynolds through ball and fired a shot which Gregg caught to his right.

The Bray keeper could do nothing a minute later when a Woods cross was met with a powerful header from O’Halloran which flew into the net to put the home side 2-0 up.

It was O’Halloran’s third goal in a week having scored in both FAI Cup games against Monaghan.

Bray again mounted an instant response when Stephen Fox played a short ball between City’s central defenders, whose ball watching had let Byrne slip free. They were rescued however, when the ball bounced unkindly for the Wanderers striker and struck his hand to concede a free kick.

It was a rare moment of Bray pressure and City quickly regained the ascendancy, closing out the half as they had started with clever efforts from O’Flynn and Woods which had Gregg stretched to the limit to keep out.

With a 2 0 lead at half time, City began the second half at a stroll and nearly paid the price when Jody Lynch capitalised on some defensive confusion two minutes after the restart. He tried to thread the ball through the melee but Devine denied him with a save low to his left. Bray’s frustration showed when Doohan was booked in the 54th minute for halting attacking left back Neal Horgan in his tracks and City’s Gareth Cronin followed him into the book nine minutes later. The subsequent free kick from a central position just outside the area smacked straight against the wall but rebounded to Fox whose tame effort was easily dealt with.

Devlin made changes in the 68th minute, pushing on Wes Charles and Daryl Brack at the expense of midfielders Barry O’Connor and Long. It did little to turn the tide, however, as City turned the screw. First O’Brien forced a 70th minute save from Gregg with another glancing header from O’Flynn’s cross.

City killed the game off with the goal of the night. Woods, out on the left, passed inside to Alan Reynolds who played a simple pass to tee up O’Callaghan who let rip with a shot which swerved beyond Gregg and flew into the top right hand corner.

City played out time with a series of substitutions. But the night ended with unsavoury incidents.

First Maurice Farrell received a yellow card for a late challenge on O’Brien in the 72nd minute. City midfielder Reynolds responded in kind 12 minutes later before Bray’s Jody Lynch, with a senseless act of indiscipline, was given a straight red card after throwing the ball at substitute David Warren. It was a nasty end to a balmy night at Turner’s Cross.

CORK CITY: M Devine, A Carey, N Horgan, G Cronin (J Andrews 85), A Bennett, A Reynolds, C T O’Brien (M Mulconroy 78), G O’Halloran, J O’Flynn (D Warren 80), G O’Callaghan, B Woods.

BRAY: M Gregg, C Tresson, M Farrell (C Ryan 78), J Lynch, M Doohan, E Gormerley, B O’Connor (W Charles 68), P Keogh, S Fox, J Byrne, K Long (D Brack 68).

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin)