Cork City grind out victory once again
To mark the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Rory Gallagher’s death, the sides took to the Turner’s Cross accompanied by Tattoo’d Lady.
Other titles might have been more apt, though — while this win may not have them On The Crest of A Wave just yet, there is certainly a sense that the Rebel Army aren’t A Million Miles Away either.
With two red cards amid a first-half scuffle and a missed penalty, there was more than one Bad Penny in circulation too.
“It was a great three points,” said City coach John Cotter.
“You can’t ever underestimate the sides in the bottom half, we knew that Bray would be well organised and it was just important to get the win.” The home side welcomed Alan Bennett back from injury, with Darren Dennehy’s suspension allowing him to back in alongside Dan Murray in defence. Other changes from the win over Galway United saw Ross Gaynor came in for the injured Liam Miller, with Kevin O’Connor moving to midfield, while Karl Sheppard replaced Liam Kearney on the wing. John Sullivan and David Scully came into the Bray team since the loss at home to Longford Town, with Luke Gallagher and the suspended Peter McGlynn absent. .
In front of 3,006, the hosts took the game to their visitors early on, but the Seagulls dispelled any notions that they were coming to play for a draw. David Scully volleyed over from a Hugh Douglas cross on 15 minutes while the same player drew a good save from Mark McNulty after good work by Graham Kelly and Ryan McEvoy, but City were creating chances too.
Inside five minutes, energetic right-back John Kavanagh had stolen possession and burst into the Bray box with purpose, only to send his shot straight at Peter McGuinness. Later on, a dangerous cross from Kavanagh might have reaped rewards only for McGuinness to claim possession well, and in the 28th minute another centre was headed wide by O’Sullivan.
The opening goal arrived a minute later. Bennett’s long ball out of defence was flicked on by O’Sullivan for Sheppard. He got the better of Adam Mitchell to give himself a look at goal and, though McGuinness saved well, O’Sullivan was perfectly placed to slot home.
Hopes among the home faithful would have been high that that would be the opening of the floodgates, but the only real goalmouth action between there and half-time was a shot by Bray’s Ryan McEvoy, saved by McNulty. That’s not to say that the remainder of the first half was without incident, however.
In the 43rd minute, Colin Healy was deemed to have gone in high on Bray right-back Hugh Douglas, with referee Jim McKell not hesitating in showing him a red card. A melee ensued and, out of that, the visitors’ centre-back Adam Mitchell also saw red.
The arrival of half-time helped to cool tensions — perhaps too much so as the game seemed to lose its pattern and chances were a rarity. Good City defending repelled Bray but on 74, Garry Buckley caught Chris Lyons in the penalty area.
Many hearts were in mouths, but man of the match McNulty turned David Cassidy’s shot around the post, helping to make it 10 clean sheets for City this season. A second goal never looked like arriving but it wasn’t needed.
McNulty; Kavanagh (McSweeney 65), Bennett, Murray, Gaynor; Healy, O’Connor; B Dennehy, Buckley, Sheppard (Morrissey 55); O’Sullivan (Holohan 69).
McGuinness; Douglas, McNally, Mitchell, Barker; Cassidy (Onwubiko 88), Kelly, Sullivan, McEvoy (Gallagher 82), Scully (Durrad 58); Lyons.
J McKell (Tipperary).
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