City dig deep for point

CORK CITY dug deep to preserve their unbeaten First Division record against Monaghan United at Gortakeegan despite being reduced to ten men for the last half hour by Gavin Kavanagh’s sending off.

Although Vinnie Sullivan was inches away from giving Cork a 9th minute lead, City were stunned a minute later when United’s Sean Brennan rifled in a free-kick from an acute angle with the Cork defence and keeper Mark McNulty expecting a cross.

Cork shipped a lot of pressure after that, but broke out of defence to equalise on the half-hour. Graham Cummins was twice denied by Alan Byrne and Gabriel Sava blocks before Vinny Sullivan blasted home from close range. Soon after City’s Gearoid Morrissey narrowly missed the top corner with a free-kick, but Monaghan finished the half the stronger.

The balance of the match seemed to switch significantly in United’s favour in the 59th minute when Cork defender Gavin Kavanagh was red-carded for a challenge on Ryan Brennan.

Cork’s defensive resilience was tested to the limit in the 75th minute when Sean Brennan’s pass let in Fabio O’Brien, who rounded keeper McNulty but saw his shot from an acute angle clip the post and stay out. United sub Shane Fitzgerald sent a header inches wide but Cork held on for the point.

MONAGHAN UNITED: Sava; Whelan (Fitzgerald 67), A Byrne, Collins, Grimes; Reilly, Foley, R Brennan, Mark (Isichei 82); O’Brien, S Brennan.

CORK CITY: McNulty; Murphy, Spillane, Kavanagh,, Mulcahy; G Morrissey, O’Halloran, Escude-Candau, O’Brien (O”Neill 76); Cummins, Sullivan

Referee: Neil Doyle

Picture: ON TARGET: Vinny Sullivan shoots past Shane Grimes for Cork City’s goal in last night’s Airtricity First Division game against Monaghan United. Picture: Rory Geary