Patient Cork City take seaside spoils with quick-fire strikes

Bray Wanderers 0 Cork City 2: Two quick-fire goals in four second-half minutes saw Cork close the gap on SSE Airtricity League Premier Division leaders Dundalk to just four points.

Now unbeaten in nine top-flight matches, City’s strike duo Sean Maguire and Karl Sheppard sealed the points at the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday as City climbed above Galway and into second place.

With four top-flight wins in a row under their belts, City manager John Caulfield felt patience was the key to this success.

“I felt we were a bit complacent, dead in the first half. We weren’t moving the ball quickly enough.

“We came out and started the second half well. In the end, we were deserving winners.”

“It’s never an easy game at Bray. You have to earn your right and that’s the way the League is.”

The Rebels had to wait until the 67th minute before they hit the front.

Greg Bolger’s lofted pass down the left channel allowed Kevin O’Connor volley a cross on the run into the box.

Sheppard challenged with a Bray defender and the ball dropped to Maguire who lashed a 14-yard half-volley past Peter Cherrie.

Just three minutes later, the Leesiders doubled that lead. Sub Gavan Holohan’s deep corner was knocked down at the far post by Garry Buckley.

The ball fell to Sheppard on the penalty spot.

His volley into the ground was initially saved by Peter Cherrie but the ball spilled from his grasp and over the line.

Meanwhile, a Jamie Mulhall own-goal contributed to bottom side Longford’s 2-0 home defeat by Shamrock Rovers. Danny North secured victory to send the Hoops fourth.

Sligo Rovers went seventh with a resounding 4-1 win over Wexford Youths at the Showgrounds

Raffaele Cretaro, Jordan Richards and Liam Martin had them 3-0 up at the interval. Danny Furlong pulled one back for the Youths before Jaanai Gordon scored his first Rovers goal.

BRAY WANDERERS:

Cherrie; Douglas, McNally, Kenna, Marks; Moore, Salmon (Noone 77), Creevy, Connolly; Pender, Lewis (McDonagh 63).

CORK CITY:

McNulty; McSweeney, Bennett, Dunleavy, O’Connor; Bolger, Gearóid Morrissey (Holohan 44); Beattie (Danny Morrissey 63), Buckley, Sheppard (Dooley 88); Maguire.

Referee:

Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).