Fenn fuels hope of extending City odyssey
Not quite 14 months after defeating Malmo 1-0, in the InterToto Cup, Cork returned to Sweden and led Djurgarden for 72 minutes in this second qualifying round first leg after Neale Fenn gave them a dream start and a valuable away goal to take back to Turners Cross on August 25.
They were denied victory in the 80th minute when goalkeeper, Michael Devine blotted an otherwise superb performance when he fumbled a shot from substitute Patrick Amoah and saw the ball trickle across the line.
“It was a fair result against a very, very good side,” Richardson said.
“We wanted to take the game to them as much as possible and retain possession and I felt we did that in the first half. It was a little more difficult to do that in the second half as they upped the tempo but we responded well.
“It gives us a chance but it’s still only a chance and maybe the hardest test is to come for us.
“Sometimes away from home the pressures off and on the home team and for the second leg the pressure’s on us.
“Having said all that, it’s been a very good night for us because my team proved they have ability and they have character and as a manager I’m very happy with that.
“You could talk about individual performances but it would be difficult to single anyone out. It was a team performance but you have to mention Neale Fenn, you have to mention the goalkeeper, centre half's and then you’ve got the whole team.”
City showed two changes from last Friday’s draw with Waterford, Roy O’Donovan came in for the suspended George O’Callaghan and Devine was back after dislocating his shoulder.
Devine’s experience was put to good use early on as the City keeper slowed the game at every opportunity, delaying his kicks for as long as possible and denying the home side momentum.
That was emphatically disrupted at the other end after just eight minutes. Dan Murray’s clearing header found Fenn on halfway who raced to the edge of the box, exchanged passes with O’Donovan before turning and shooting right footed into the corner.
“I just remember getting the ball and thinking that I if I get a little bit of space I’m going to get a shot off,” Fenn said. “It was early in the game and it was a chance to test the keeper, lucky for me it went in.”
It was a fantastic goal for City and their small but vocal band of around 150 fans who were among the 4,854 dotted around a sparsely-populated 37,000 capacity Rasunda Stadium.
The Swedes dominated the rest of the half, although the visitors had a great chance in the 38th minute when Neil Horgan’s cross fizzed across the goal and Liam Kearney’s flick edged just wide.
Ex AC Milan striker, Ibrahim Ba replaced Mattias Jonson for the second half but they did threaten until the 56th minute when Tobias Hysen’s cross was met by Kuivasto, who headed straight into the ground and over.
The ensuing goalkick saw Devine booked for time wasting.
Fenn then went close with a half volley which looped over the crossbar. Djurgarden brought on Amoah and Arnason, and they had an immediate impact. Arnason fired in a drive which Devine did well to tip over and the keeper denied him again moments later from point-blank range and followed up by swatting the ball away from under Hysen’s nose.
Unfortunately, the sterling work was undone 10 minutes from time when Amoah’s shot rolled out of Devine’s hands across the line.
Djurgarden pressed for a winner but it was Devine who redeemed himself by scrambling an Amoah touch off the line and then parrying Hysen’s 88th minute shot to earn City a priceless score draw.
: Tourray, Concha, Kuivasto, Johannesson, Stenman, Arneng, Barsom (Arnason 71), Hysen, Jonson (Ba 45), Kusi Asare, Sjolund (Amoah 71).
: Devine, Murphy, Bennett, O’Halloran, Dan Murray, Fenn (O’Brien 81), O’Flynn, O’Donovan (Woods 86), Gamble, Horgan, Kearney.
: Oleh Oriekhov (Ukraine).
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