Die-hard City rock Cross

Many might have come to worship at the shrine of Man U but, on a balmy evening when a packed Turner’s Cross was looking its best, the majority would surely have left at the end imbued with much admiration for Tommy Dunne, his players and what Cork City football club as a whole are doing for the game of football on Leeside.

Of course, this was only a friendly match but, nevertheless, the home side were well worth their 2-0 victory. And it tells you all you need to know about the pulling power of one of the most famous clubs in world football that the Manchester United reserve team could help pack out the ground. Will it be repeated when the red shirts of Shelbourne come to play in the domestic league tomorrow night? That, as they say, is another story.

The players in the more famous red shirts might not yet be household names but, among a bumper attendance of 6,059 there was a sprinkling of familiar names. United legends Paul McGrath and Brian McClair were both looking on, while Leeside’s latest sporting hero, boxer Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan — who describes himself as “a big supporter of Cork City” — was invited onto the pitch at half-time to display the WBO International Middleweight belt he won in London earlier this month.

United’s reserves included the Brazilian Gladstony, the highly rated Norwegian striker Joshua King and Maidstone-born Irish U19 defender Sean McGinty. For the first-half, at least, the home side featured a majority of first-choice players who will hope to feature against Shels, with the addition of recent signing from College Corinthians, 18-year-old central midfielder Brian Lenihan.

In an evenly contested, if not terribly competitive opening phase, it was United’s Norwegian midfielder Mats Daehli who initially stood out, and not just because of his blond hair. A wide midfielder who is as skilful as he is highly-rated at Old Trafford, he was a constant menace as he roamed inside from a left-wing berth.

But with their own tricky customers like Daryl Horgan and Davin O’ Neill on the pitch, City were not going to let the United kids have it all their own way and, in the 21st minute, the home side came closest to breaking the deadlock when Vinny Sullivan’s movement in the box left the visitors’ defence flatfooted, only for the striker to flash his first time effort from Ian Turner’s free just wide of the near post. And four minutes later a mazy dribble by Horgan was only foiled at point-blank range by the feet of United ‘keeper Johnny Sutherland.

But there was to be no second reprieve for United, as Kevin Murray – from the resultant corner rose highest at the far post to powerfully head home Ian Turner’s corner.

Thereafter, City dominated until the break, at which point manager Tommy Dunne activated Team B, replacing all of his starting 11, bar goalkeeper Mark McNulty, for the second-half.

But it was the new-look Leesiders who continued to dominate, Stephen Kenny winkling out a chance in the box only to see his effort roll inches wide of the post. Brazilian substitute Agnaldo brought some much needed creativity to United’s attacking play and, in the 73rd minute, his clever touch set up fellow sub Jack Barmby for a chance on goal from close range at the end of a fluent passing move. But Barmby couldn’t keep his angled shot down, leaving the underworked McNulty to watch the ball sailing over his bar.

Fittingly on the night, the better team had the final word. United ‘keeper Johnny Sutherland had already made two finger-tip saves to deny Keigan Parker and Andy O’Connell in the dying moments but, in literally the last act of the night, O’Connell was offered and gratefully received a second bite of the cherry, his close-range header beating the ‘keeper’s dive to give the home side a 2-0 win.

CORK CITY: McNulty (Burns 86), Healy (Horgan 45/Carroll 80), Spillane (E Buckley 45), K. Murray (D. Murray 45), Murphy (O’ Connor 45/Forde 86) , Turner (Bossman 45/ O’ Connell 80), Dunleavy (G. Buckley), Lenihan (Lordan 45/McCarthy 63/Browne 86), Horgan (Kenny 45),O’ Neill (Crawford 45), Sullivan (Parker).

MANCHESTER UNITED: Sutherland, Keane, Givern, McGinty, James, Giverin (Barmby 63), Lawrence (Agnaldo 53), Januzaj, Gladstoney (Hendrie 53), Daehli (Van Velzen 80), King.

Referee: Graham Kelly.