Glorious City goals leave Longford seeing red

Cork City 4 Longford Town 1

Keogh was shown the red card after he had confronted a member of Cork City’s backroom staff in the Cork dug-out. Keogh clearly believed the ball was being deliberately retained as he sought to hurry a throw-in but whatever ensued between the two was clearly not to the referee’s satisfaction.

He delivered a straight red card to Keogh and then also appeared to wave a member of Longford’s back-room staff from the touchline as verbal arguments developed between the opposing camps. Longford trailed 1-2 at the time and were battling hard to regain equality.

The incidents spoiled a contest that provided sparkling entertainment. Cork showed a remarkable facility to take advantage of their scoring chances and the scoreline told a slightly flattering tale because of that. There was still much to admire in the play of both sides with Cork showing their class as they raced into a 2-0 interval lead.

Cork’s first-half goals were exhilarating, giving credence to a performance that was mature and balanced, providing the home side with the inspiration to stay with their constructive and progressive game plan despite Longford’s stubborn resistance and their prickly refusal to accept second best.

Billy Woods set the standard in the 22nd minute. Colin T O’Brien won a good tackle on halfway and set Woods in motion with a square pass. The full-back snapped the ball forward for John O’Flynn who held off a defender and rolled it into the path of the speeding Woods. He checked inside an attempted tackle and sent a right-foot shot low into the corner from 30 yards. It was rather special and how the fans loved it. .

To their credit, Longford put this setback behind them and remained competitive in every area. But they lacked the cutting edge that flowed from Cork’s patient and accurate approach play. The strength of Dan Murray and Alan Bennett ensured goalkeeper Michael Devine was well protected and there was a greater threat from O’Flynn and George O’Callaghan.

Cork illustrated the potential for goals with another thrust in the 33rd minute. O’Grady linked with O’Callaghan, Kevin Doyle and then Neal Horgan. He played a neat one-two with O’Callaghan and was clear inside the box where ’keeper Dempsey made a brave save.

There was more to come in the 45th minute from a Cork side that visibly grew in confidence as they linked their passes together. O’Callaghan won a tackle on Brian McGovern that must have caused the referee a moment’s hesitation. O’Callaghan found O’Flynn and he chipped the ball over Dempsey and into the net off the inside of an upright.

This was O’Flynn’s 11th goal in 12 League matches and must rank as one of his best. For style, precision and invention it merited 10 out of 10 for O’Flynn was running away from goal when he spun to clip the ball over the goalkeeper.

It was typical of Longford that they refused to be fazed by Cork’s ability to conjure up exciting goals and open up a lead that flattered them a little on the run of play. They were still full of vim and vigour and their goal, after 60 minutes, rivalled Cork’s in style and execution.

It stemmed from an attempted clearance by O’Callaghan just outside his own penalty box that was charged down by Alan Murphy. The ball broke to Sean Francis and his reactions were sharp and decisive. He caught goalkeeper Devine off his goal-line with a lob from the right corner of the box.

Longford were enlivened by their goal but the regrettable and unnecessary confrontation that led to the dismissal of Keogh did not help their cause.

The incident led to some heated exchanges and a match that was always disputed with total commitment and undisguised physicality threatened to boil over on occasions.

Happily that threat was never fulfilled and Cork sensibly tightened their defensive approach and punished Longford on the break.

Woods capped an outstanding performance when he crashed home a free-kick from 30 yards in the 82nd minute before Cork pulled one more trick out of the hat for their delighted fans. Substitute Colin P O’Brien made a vital interception in midfield and sent Kevin Doyle racing clear for a 30 yards sprint that ended with a flourish as he drove the ball into the net.

CORK CITY (4-4-2): Devine; Horgan, Bennett, D. Murray, Woods; Doyle, C. T. O’Brien, O’Grady, Hedderman (K. Murray 67); O’Flynn (O’Halloran 78), O’Callaghan (C. P. O’Brien 75).

LONGFORD TOWN: (4-4-2): Dempsey; Murphy, Ferguson, McGovern, Dillon (Mulvihill 82): Kirby (Perth 46), Byrne (Lavine 46), Sheridan, Keogh; Francis, Barrett.

Referee: P Whelan (Dublin)