Lucky 13 for United as Tierney strikes

MIKE TIERNEY’S header 13 minutes from time gave Mervue United a share of the spoils on their return to Fahy’s Field last night.

Cork City looked to have wrapped up the points when Eric Browne’s attempted clearance flew past his own goalkeeper, but the Mervue captain salvaged a point with his late strike.

After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, City took the lead when Browne sliced Gearóid Morrissey’s through ball viciously past the hapless Ger Hanley two minutes after the restart.

Former Galway United striker Jason Molloy came desperately close to the equaliser for Mervue but his curling shot 17 minutes from time was well saved by Mark McNulty, who gathered at the second attempt as Tierney pounced on the loose ball.

But Tierney was not to be denied four minutes later when Dan Cunningham’s pin-point cross found him alone in the area and his header flew past the Cork keeper.

On their return to their spiritual home, Mervue came very close to falling behind twice in the opening minute when Shane Duggan’s shot and Vinny Sullivan’s back-post header were saved well by Hanley.

The visitors were opening their hosts up with ease and six minutes in Graham Cummins should have done better after being found by Danny Murphy.

However, Mervue managed to quench some of the Cork City fire and should have opened the scoring themselves after 13 minutes when Tierney’s glancing header from Molloy’s cross failed to find its intended target.

But the best chance of the first half fell to Morrissey who hit his shot into the turf with the goal gaping.

And City were made to pay for those missed chances with Tierney’s strike.

MERVUE UNITED: Hanley; Curran (Casserley 59), Conneely, Browne, Cunningham; Varley, Ludden, Collins O’Brien (Gaffney 56); Tierney, Molloy.

CORK CITY FC: McNulty; Horgan, Kavanagh, O’Halloran, Murphy; Morrissey, Duggan, Escude-Candau (Kiely 85), O’Neill (O’Brien 68); Cummins, Sullivan.

Referee: P McLaughlin (Donegal).