Nine-man Mons find City too hot to handle

THE race for promotion to the Airtricity League Premier Division will go down to the wire after Cork City defeated nine-man Monaghan United 3-1 at Turner’s Cross last night.

Monaghan went into the game in red-hot form, having won their last seven league matches but found themselves a goal down within the opening two minutes.

Daryl Horgan picked out Shane Duggan, who curled a delightful effort from the edge of the box into the top corner of Gabriel Sava’s net to give City the ideal start.

The home side should have been two up three minutes later when Eric Foley inexplicably tried to head the ball back to Gabriel Sava from 30 yards — but the header went straight to Graham Cummins — who took the ball around Sava but the alert Alan Byrne cleared off the line.

The home side doubled their lead in the 29th minute with a brilliant goal from top scorer Cummins. City’s ace striker turned his marker William McDonagh on the half-way line before taking the ball forward where he ghosted past Alan Byrne before shooting home from an acute angle for his 21st goal of the season.

Monaghan piled on the pressure in the second-half and McNulty made a great save to deny William McDonagh before Alan Byrne blazed over from a good position as Roddy Collins’ side looked for a way back into the game.

However, Vinny Sullivan made the game safe midway through the second half when he bundled the ball home from Daryl Horgan’s cross.

Monaghan did threaten to get back into the game when McDonagh scored 20 minutes from time but when Sean Brennan was sent off for hacking down Duggan, there was no way back for Collins’ side.

Ryan Brennan was also sent off in the last minute for a second bookable offence.

CORK CITY: McNulty, N Horgan, Kavanagh, Spillane, Murphy, Turner (C Lordan 89), G Morrissey, Duggan, D Horgan, Cummins (Escude-Candau 53), Sullivan (A O’Connell 88).

MONAGHAN UNITED: Sava, Collins, Grimes (Quinn 28), McDonagh, A Byrne, Foley (Whelan 61), Reilly, R Brennan, Marks, S Brennan, O’Brien (D Byrne 85).

Referee: P Sutton (Clare)

Picture: Cork City's Graham Cummins celebrates his sides second goal against Monaghan United. Picture: Eddie O’Hare