Parker chips in as Cork thrive despite red cards

Despite finishing the game with nine men, Cork City climbed to fifth in the Airtricity League Premier Division after a deserved 2-0 victory over a poor Bray Wanderers side at Turner’s Cross last night.

Ian Turner and Gearoid Morrissey were sent off in the second half but goals from Keigan Parker and Gavin Kavanagh saw Tommy Dunne’s side follow up Friday night’s 1-0 victory over Derry City with another three points.

Dunne had Daryl Horgan available again after suspension and he slotted back into the side, which meant Friday’s goal hero Garry Buckley had to make do with a place on the bench. The only other change saw Parker replace Davin O’Neill.

Bray boss Pat Devlin made three changes from the side that went down 3-1 to Drogheda on Friday, where David Webster, Dean Marshall and Conor Earley came into the side in place of Sean Houston, Dean Zambra, and the suspended Kevin O’Connor.

Bray, whose last league victory came way back on June 1, had the first chance of the game when Marshall found Dane Massey but the midfielder’s curling effort from the edge of the box was well stopped by Mark McNulty.

City began to come more into the game after that and Vinny Sullivan had a great chance to score three minutes later but he headed Parker’s superb cross wide.

Parker then hit the side-netting following a surging run from Turner, before Horgan dragged his shot wide from the edge of the box after another great ball from Parker.

Dunne’s side hit the front in the 32nd minute and it was the dangerous Parker who got what his early endeavour deserved. Sullivan flicked the ball onto Parker, who found himself in acres of space wide on the left after being played onside by Conor Earley. The striker still had a lot of work to do but he expertly chipped the ball over the advancing Darren Quigley from 20 yards.

Turner almost put City 2-0 up a minute before the break but his left-footed half-volley from Horgan’s deep cross came back off the post with Quigley beaten.

Bray started the second half brighter and should have equalised 11 minutes in but Danny O’Connor shot over when one-on-one with McNulty.

The Seagulls were made to pay almost immediately as Gavin Kavanagh rose highest in the box to power home Turner’s inswinging corner two minutes later.

However, City were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half when Turner received his marching orders for his second bookable offence.

The sending off should have given Bray some bit of hope but without the suspended Jason Byrne, the Wicklow side lacked a cutting edge and never looked like getting anything out of the game.

Substitute Yani Georgiev had a chance to make it an interesting finish late on though, but McNulty got down to save the effort at his near post.

Morrissey then received a straight red card two minutes from time following a clash with Adam Mitchell.

CORK CITY: McNulty; Kavanagh, K Murray, Spillane, D Murphy; Turner, Morrissey, Duggan, Horgan (G Buckley 77); Parker (O’Neill 70), Sullivan (N Horgan 90).

BRAY WANDERERS: D.Quigley; Webster, S.O’Connor, Mitchell, Earley; Marshall (Hanlon 61), D.O’Connor (Georgiev 75), Massey, Doyle (Moffatt 69), Waters; Mulroy.

Referee: J McKell (Clonmel).